Black Hole Collision Calculator
Simulate cosmic collisions and calculate gravitational wave energy release 🌌
Black Hole Collision Simulation
Before Collision
Event Horizon: 14.77 km
Impacting Object
Stellar Black Hole
Non-rotating: ~3%, Maximally rotating: ~42%
After Collision
Initial Black Hole: 5 M☉ → 14.77 km radius
Falling Object: 3 M☉ (Stellar Black Hole)
Mass Efficiency: 97.0% retained as mass
Energy in Joules: 1.61e+46 J
Energy Scale Reference
1 bethe = 10⁴⁴ Joules (energy unit named after Hans Bethe)
Example: Stellar Black Hole Merger
LIGO Detection Scenario
Primary Black Hole: 36 M☉ (Schwarzschild radius: ~106 km)
Secondary Black Hole: 29 M☉ (Schwarzschild radius: ~86 km)
Energy Efficiency: ~5% (typical for black hole mergers)
Collision Results
Final Black Hole Mass: ~62 M☉ (3 solar masses converted to gravitational waves)
Energy Released: ~3 bethe (3 × 10⁴⁴ Joules)
Event Horizon: ~183 km radius
Gravitational waves detectable across the observable universe!
Cosmic Object Categories
Supermassive
10⁶ - 10⁹ M☉
Galaxy centers, quasars
Intermediate
10² - 10⁶ M☉
Rare, theoretical
Stellar
3 - 100 M☉
From massive star collapse
Neutron Stars
1.4 - 3 M☉
Ultra-dense stellar remnants
Stars
0.08 - 100 M☉
Main sequence to giants
Key Physics
Schwarzschild Radius
R = 2GM/c²
Mass-Energy
E = mc² (Einstein)
Gravitational Waves
Spacetime ripples
Tidal Disruption
Objects torn apart
Famous LIGO Detections
GW150914
First detection: 36M☉ + 29M☉ → 62M☉
GW170817
Neutron star merger with light
GW190521
Most massive: 85M☉ + 66M☉
Understanding Black Hole Collisions
What Happens During a Collision?
When an object falls into a black hole, it doesn't just disappear quietly. The intense gravitational forces create a spectacular cosmic event that can be observed across the universe.
Energy Release Mechanism
- •Tidal Forces: Object gets stretched and torn apart
- •Accretion: Matter spirals into the black hole
- •Mass Conversion: Some mass becomes pure energy
- •Gravitational Waves: Spacetime itself vibrates
Physics Equations
Schwarzschild Radius:
Rs = 2GM/c²
Energy Release:
E = ε × m × c²
Final Mass:
Mfinal = MBH + m - E/c²
Energy Efficiency:
- Non-rotating BH: ~3% energy conversion
- Slowly rotating: ~6% efficiency
- Rapidly rotating: Up to 42% efficiency
- Theoretical max: 42% (Kerr black hole)
LIGO Detection: These collisions create gravitational waves that ripple through spacetime, detectable by laser interferometers on Earth.