The little robot, black holes, and spaghettification

Abstract

Abstract The tidal forces generated by a black hole can be so powerful that they cause unlimited stretching, known as spaghettification. A detailed analysis of this phenomenon requires the use of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The aim of this paper is to offer an up-to-date and accessible analysis of spaghettification, in which the complex mathematics of Einstein’s theory are replaced with the simpler and more intuitive concepts of Newtonian gravity. The article can serve as educational material for undergraduate modern physics or astronomy courses.