Wiley states: Since all the mass is within the circumference of the object the matter furthest from the center has the greatest force on it. Therefore as the mass of the object increases the force increases until the Pauli Exclusion principle is overwhelmed (a simplification) and the body collapses to a neutron star. A similar process then occurs for the collapse of a neutron star to a BH.

This is where I feel researchers are missing the mark. If I understand them correctly, once a star reaches a certain size, or mass, it is capable of collapsing into a black hole. What they fail to take into account, in my opinion, is the increased effect of gravitational force eminating from the horizon. The greater the radius of the sphere, the greater the horizontal gravitational pull. I understand that on a smaller body such as our moon, I would weigh less, but I suspect that gravitational force on Jupiter would not be a crushing experiance for me because of the compensating effect of the much more distant horizon. Much more mass off to each side = more lateral attraction. Does this make sense?

• No it doesn't - Wiler - November 9, 1999 - 23:51 UTC