01-08-2026, 01:32 PM
Hawking Temperature — Why Black Holes Evaporate
Hawking temperature describes how black holes emit radiation and slowly lose mass over time.
Equation:
T = ℏc³ / (8πGMk)
Where:
T = temperature of the black hole
ℏ = reduced Planck constant
G = gravitational constant
M = mass of the black hole
k = Boltzmann constant
c = speed of light
What this means:
Smaller black holes are hotter.
Larger black holes are colder.
Key insight:
• Stellar-mass black holes are colder than the cosmic microwave background
• Tiny black holes would evaporate rapidly
• Black holes are not eternal
Why this matters:
This equation links gravity, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics — showing that black holes obey the laws of physics like everything else.
Hawking temperature describes how black holes emit radiation and slowly lose mass over time.
Equation:
T = ℏc³ / (8πGMk)
Where:
T = temperature of the black hole
ℏ = reduced Planck constant
G = gravitational constant
M = mass of the black hole
k = Boltzmann constant
c = speed of light
What this means:
Smaller black holes are hotter.
Larger black holes are colder.
Key insight:
• Stellar-mass black holes are colder than the cosmic microwave background
• Tiny black holes would evaporate rapidly
• Black holes are not eternal
Why this matters:
This equation links gravity, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics — showing that black holes obey the laws of physics like everything else.