- About Us
- People
- Undergrad
- Graduate
- Research
- News & Events
- Equity
- Why Physics @SFU
- _how-to
- Congratulations to our Class of 2021
- Archive
- AKCSE
- Atlas Tier 1 Data Centre
Student Seminar
Understanding Black Holes with General Relativity: From Schwarzschild to Kerr and Reissner–Nordström
Yiwen Sun, SFU Physics
Location: BLU 9660
Synopsis
Einstein鈥檚 theory of general relativity helps us understand gravity as the curvature of spacetime. Black holes are the most striking prediction based on general relativity, and are regions where nothing can escape, even light. My presentation examines three fundamental solutions to Einstein鈥檚 equations, each describing a different class of black hole: the Schwarzschild solution for a static black hole; the Kerr solution for a rotating black hole; and the Reissner鈥揘ordstr枚m solution showing a black hole with charge. I will explore the defining features of these solutions, including event horizons, singularities, frame-dragging effects, and the role of electromagnetic fields. In addition, I will discuss how modern observational breakthroughs, such as gravitational wave detections from black hole mergers and horizon-scale imaging, provided robust evidence supporting these theoretical models. By understanding black holes across these various scenarios, one can gain deeper insights into the profound interplay between gravity, energy, and the fabric of spacetime.