Consider again the civilization described in the previous question.(They live on a planet orbiting 10 AU from a close binary star system that consists of a 15 MSᵤn red giant star and a 10 MSᵤn black hole surrounded by an accretion disk. )One foolhardy day,a daring individual in their space force (let's call him Major Tom)decides to become the first of his species to cross the event horizon of the black hole.To add to the drama,he decides to go in wearing only a thin space suit,which offers no shielding against radiation,no cushioning against any forces,and so on.Which of the following is most likely to kill him first (or at least to start the process of killing him first)?
A)tidal forces due to the black hole
B)X-rays from the accretion disk
C)the crush of gravity at the singularity embedded within the black hole
D)the sucking force from the black hole,which will cause his head to explode

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The accretion disk around a black hole emits high levels of X-rays due to the immense friction and heating of material as it spirals in. This radiation would be lethal to Major Tom before tidal forces or the singularity's gravity could affect him, and the notion of a "sucking force" causing his head to explode is a misconception about how black holes work.

Consider Again the Civilization Described in the Previous Question