Samanthe A. Braswell
How Thermodynamics is used to Shine Light on the Mysteries of Black Holes
This paper discusses the phenomenon of black holes, with an emphasis on the
Second of Law of Thermodynamics, which is concerned with entropy within a given
system. The first aspect to be discussed is the life and death of a star, which explains
the formation of black holes. Secondly, the “non-decreasing property” of the area of a
black hole’s event horizon will be examined. Finally, entropy and its implications for the
study of black holes will be discussed in length, while incorporating the views of
physicists Stephen Hawking and Kip S. Thorne. This exploration of the relation of the
second law of thermodynamics to the phenomenon of black holes provides an
understanding of how entropy can possibly be used to locate black holes.