A black hole is a point in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot escape. The gravity is so strong because matter has been pressed into one tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying. Because no light can get out, people cant see black holes. They are invisible.
Black holes can be big or small. Scientists think the smallest black holes are as small as just one atom. These black holes are very tiny but have the mass of a large mountain. Scientists think the largest black holes are as big as billions of times the mass of the sun.
When a black hole kind of many starts to eat a star or planet, scientists call it an accretion disk. The star or planet gets pulled in by the black holes strong gravity and swirls around it. It starts to heat up from friction and then gets ripped apart by the black holes strong tidal forces.
Black holes can create some of the most powerful forces in the universe. For example, when two black holes circle each other, they can give off a huge amount of energy. This energy can be so big that it creates a shock wave that travels through space.
Black holes can also be dangerous. If a person were to get too close to a black hole, its gravity would be so strong it would pull them in and they would not be able to escape. Anything that gets too close to a black hole gets sucked in and disappears.
The centers of galaxies usually contain supermassive black holes. Scientists believe these supermassive black holes have been growing for billions of years. They are so big that their gravity affects the stars and gas around them.
Scientists are still trying to understand the mysteries of black holes. They have powerful telescopes that can see the effects of a black hole but not the hole itself. They also use mathematical models to try to understand black holes and the forces at work around them.
Black holes have amazed and frightened people for generations. The mysteries of black holes will keep people wondering for generations to come. With new technologies, scientists are learning more about these mysterious objects every day.
