Exploring Black Hole Merger and Spaghettification: A Deeper Dive

Brandon's query about whether black holes experience spaghettification when crossing a bigger one is an intriguing one. Traditional scientific definitions of black holes as simply "empty spaces" with singularities at their centers can oversimplify the complexity of these fascinating astrophysical phenomena.

Traditional Black Holes and Spaghettification

According to mainstream scientific definitions, a black hole is often described as an empty space characterized by its singularity at the center. Such a concept simplifies the process of one black hole crossing another of a different size. However, since these descriptions are based on an abstract, non-physical model, it is indeed meaningless to debate the crossing of two empty spaces aesthetically and then wonder if there would be spaghettification.

Realistic Black Holes: Density and Gravitational Forces

From a realistic standpoint, black holes have a physical center—a massive object with a defined radius. The bigger black hole has more mass and a larger radius compared to the smaller one. Thus, two distinct physical black holes cannot simply cross each other. Instead, they can come close to each other, yet the question of whether spaghettification occurs requires careful consideration.

Spaghettification, a process characterized by the extreme tidal forces that can pull matter into long thin strands, occurs when the gravitational pull is significantly different across different points of an object. For spaghettification to happen, the gravitational force exerted by one black hole must be greater than the cohesive forces holding the object together. Since each black hole exerts its maximum gravitational force, matter cannot be stripped off, thus no spaghettification occurs.

Black Holes as Locations of Extreme Gravity

In my perspective, a black hole can be viewed not as an object with mass but as a location where extreme gravity concentrates. This location is akin to the barycenter of a group of heavenly bodies, where no mass is actually present—only extreme gravitational forces. Consequently, when a smaller black hole merges with a bigger one, they can coalesce but spaghettification cannot occur within this merger due to the uniform gravitational force.

Black holes are typically found at the centers of galaxies. When a smaller black hole merges with a larger one located at a galactic core, the process is more akin to gravitational interactions, and spaghettification might be a concern when approaching the event horizon of a single large black hole.

Inside a Black Hole: Unknowns and Speculations

It is also worth noting that the interior of a black hole remains one of the greatest mysteries in astrophysics. Beyond the event horizon, our current understanding of physics breaks down, and the nature of what happens to matter within a black hole is still debated. While there is no known mechanism for matter to experience spaghettification outside the event horizon due to the balance of gravitational forces, inside a black hole, the conditions may be different, with speculation about the structure of the singularity.

Further, black holes are not tangible objects in the conventional sense. Therefore, the concept of spaghettification due to tidal forces also applies only when objects are within the influence of a black hole's gravitational field, such as when passing through the event horizon or very close to it.

The study of black holes continues to be a fascinating and challenging endeavor, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of physics and astrophysics. As our tools and theories improve, we will be better equipped to unravel the mysteries surrounding these cosmic giants.