What Would Happen If A Coin-Sized Black Hole Appeared On Earth? Physicist Explains

A physicist explained what would happen to Earth is a small black hole with the same diameter as a coin suddenly appeared at the center of Earth. Although the entire planet would most likely not get swallowed up by the black hole, the expert noted that Earth would still be completely destroyed.

The Earth-ending scenario was discussed by Frank Heile, who holds a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford University. In a forum on the question-and-answer website Quora, Heile explained the catastrophic events Earth would go through if a tiny black hole suddenly materializes within the planet.

According to Heile, a black hole that’s just as big as a standard coin will still have the same mass as Earth. Despite its size, it can still trigger an explosion powerful enough to destroy the planet and wipe out all life on Earth.

This explosion will be triggered by the materials falling into the black hole. As this happens, the materials get compressed and heated to high temperatures.

“When the matter near the black hole begins to ‘fall’ into the black hole it will be compressed to very high density which will cause it to be heated to very high temperatures,” Heile explained. “These high temperatures will cause gamma rays, x-rays and other radiation to heat up the other matter falling into the black hole.”

The extreme heat generated by the materials falling into the black hole will eventually radiate outwards, incinerating everything. The living creatures that do not get sucked into the black hole will eventually be vaporized by the extreme heat.

Heile noted that although the entire planet will be destroyed, it will not be completely swallowed up by the black hole. This is due to the immense outward pressure on the planet’s outer layers.

“The net effect will be that there will be a strong outward pressure on the outer layers of the Earth that will first slow down their fall and will eventually ionize and push the outer layers away from the black hole,” he stated. “So some inner portion of the core will fall into the black hole but the outer layers, including the crust and all of us would be vaporized to a high-temperature plasma and be blown into space.”