The formation of a black hole generally follows a sequence of steps that can vary depending on the type of black hole being formed (stellar black holes, supermassive black holes, etc.), but here’s a summary of the steps involved in the formation of a typical stellar black hole:
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Stellar Evolution: A massive star (typically more than about 20 times the mass of the Sun) undergoes nuclear fusion in its core. It starts by fusing hydrogen into helium, then, after exhausting hydrogen in the core, it begins fusing helium into heavier elements (carbon, oxygen, and so on).
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Core Collapse: Once the star can no longer fuse heavier elements due to the lack of temperature and pressure to overcome the strong nuclear forces, the fusion reactions cease and the core becomes unstable. The outward pressure from nuclear fusion is no longer sufficient to counteract the force of gravity.
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Supernova Explosion: The core collapses under its own gravity, and as it does, it can lead to the violent ejection of the outer layers of the star in a supernova explosion. This event can leave behind the core of the star.
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Formation of a Neutron Star or Black Hole: The remnants of the core can either form a neutron star (if the core's mass is below the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit) or continue to collapse into a singularity, forming a black hole (if the core's mass is above this limit).
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Event Horizon Formation: As the core collapses, it creates an event horizon—the boundary around the singularity beyond which nothing can escape the gravitational pull, marking the formation of the black hole.
In summary, the process typically involves the evolution and death of a massive star, core collapse, a supernova explosion, and the subsequent formation of a black hole if conditions permit.
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