Black Holes 101 | National Geographic

What is a black hole?

• A region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.

• A type of star that has run out of fuel and exploded.

• A large planet that has been pulled apart by a nearby star.

• A cloud of gas and dust that is forming new stars.

What is the "event horizon" of a black hole?

• The center of the black hole where all matter is crushed.

• The boundary around a black hole beyond which nothing can escape.

• A bright ring of light that surrounds a black hole.

• The point where a black hole begins to form.

How are stellar black holes formed?

• They are created when two galaxies collide.

• They form when massive stars die and collapse.

• They are born from the Big Bang.

• They are formed by the accumulation of gas and dust in space.

How do scientists detect black holes?

• By directly observing their dark centers with powerful telescopes.

• By observing their effect on nearby matter, like accretion disks and quasars.

• By measuring the amount of light they emit.

• By sending probes into them to collect data.