Could a Black Hole Suck in Another Black Hole?

Question

If 2 black holes come in contact, what would happen, and is it even possible and why?

Answer 1

i think whatever black hole was the bigger star would suck the other one in... because a black hole is just a collapsed star... i think its possible that 2 could meet, but i doubt it has ever happened.

check this out:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blackhole/p...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/...

hope this helps!!

Answer 2

Because a black hole is very small (compared to the size of space), it is very unlikely that they would collide the first time around.

More likely, they will miss each other but lose energy (two black holes moving very close to each other would generate gravitational waves -- as predicted by Einstein).  They will orbit each other.

As they lose energy (waves) the orbits will get smaller.  As the orbits get smaller, they will lose energy faster (more waves).  As they lose energy faster, the orbits will get even smaller, at a quicker pace.

And so on.

They will eventually merge and form one black hole, but it will have to be a "rotating black hole" (rotating black hole can continue to emit energy -- thereby reducing their rotation rate -- until they eventually become non-rotating (what we call 'normal') black holes.

Answer 3

It has happened before.

Answer 4

theoretically its could and possible make a larger black hole unless one of the black holes was already feeding and it would work faster

Answer 5

Yes, it's happened.  

The supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy has likely swallowed hundreds of smaller "normal" black holes; a few years back, (1997? 1998?)  the largest explosion since the Big Bang was recorded, happening several hundreds of millions of light years away, and after deciphering the data, astronomers believe that two supermassive black holes "merged."  

Essentially, a black hole is like any other mass - just very, very condensed.  They're going to attract each other through gravity much like the Earth is attracted by the Sun.   Once they begin to "merge" - where their Event Horizons begin to touch - there is a LOT of energy released probably in the form of 'gravity waves' - which are still only theory, along with a LOT of gamma and x-ray radiation.  Once the actual black hole mass, inside the event horizon, encounters the other black hole mass, I've read that any explosion or event wouldn't be observed - the combination of the two masses happen inside the event horizon - where no energy can escape.  

Answer 6

h**l yea i got stuck in one last year

Answer 7

Actually when two black holes get near eachother, they battle for a while and eventually converge to create a bigger black hole.

Answer 8

well in theory its not possible the mass vaccuum of both black holes will just repel each other, well i thats what i think if i remembered correctly in my physics class.