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What is a Black Hole?

Answer – A black hole is an extremely dense object in space. A massive amount of matter is packed into a relatively minuscule area resulting in a gravitational force intense enough to prevent light from escaping it. 

Explanation:

Black holes are created when huge stars, approximately three times larger than the Sun, run out of fuel. The mass that makes them up collapses into a space that is minuscule compared to that occupied by it previously (also called a singularity). This results in a gravitational field so strong that not even light can escape from it, thus rendering them ‘black’ or invisible. However, they can be detected and are studied on the basis of their effect on the objects around them.

While the core of a black hole is indeed invisible, it is surrounded by an event horizon. It denotes the boundary within which the black hole’s gravity exerts its pull. It is surrounded by a bright ring of light. 

The existence of black holes was first predicted in Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity.


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