Everyday Science · 45 sec
Black hole
The science behind something you encounter, use, or wonder about.
The useful idea
- Gravity traps light
A black hole is an astronomical body so compact that its gravity prevents anything, including light, from escaping.
- The event horizon
The boundary of no escape is called the event horizon.
- A compact mass
Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, which describes gravitation as the curvature of spacetime, predicts that any sufficiently compact mass will form a black hole.
Why this matters
Look for Black hole the next time you notice this pattern in everyday life.
Try this
Look for Black hole the next time you notice this pattern in everyday life.
Test your recall
Which idea belongs to the explanation of Black hole?
- A compact mass
- The event horizon
- Gravity traps light — correct
A black hole is an astronomical body so compact that its gravity prevents anything, including light, from escaping.