[Physics] Based on black hole thermodynamics, shouldn’t empty space contain infinite energy

black-holeshawking-radiationthermodynamics

According to "Hawking radiation", Wikipedia [links omitted]:

In SI units, the radiation from a Schwarzschild black hole is blackbody radiation with temperature
$${\displaystyle T={\frac {\hbar c^{3}}{8\pi GMk_{\text{B}}}}\;\quad \left(\approx {\frac {1.227\times 10^{23}\;{\text{kg}}}{M}}\;{\text{K}}=6.169\times 10^{-8}\;{\text{K}}\times {\frac {M_{\odot }}{M}}\right)\,,} $$
where $\hbar$ is the reduced Planck constant, $c$ is the speed of light, $k_{\text{B}}$ is the Boltzmann constant, $G$ is the gravitational constant, $M_☉$ is the solar mass, and $M$ is the mass of the black hole.

By taking the limit of $T$ as $M$ goes to zero, the following is found:

$$\lim_{M\to0^+} T=\lim_{M\to0^+}{\hbar c^3\over{8\pi G k_bM}}=+\infty$$

Wouldn't this mean that empty space would have infinite energy? As when $M=0$ the Schwarzschild radius is also $0$, so every point in space would be paradoxically hot. I know I'm probably wrong, I just don't know why I'm wrong.

Best Answer

Wouldn't this mean that empty space would have infinite energy?

So ignoring quantum issues (and in the absence of a complete theory of quantum gravity we have no choice) and staying strictly with the classical approach let's consider the problem.

Regardless of what amount of power is radiated by the black hole, that power is removed from the energy of the black hole. But the black holes you are talking about have zero energy and so there is no way for them to power hawking radiation.

The mistake you are making is ignoring that nature balances it's books and in this case the balance is that you can't reduce the mass below zero.

There's another reason why your logic is failing.

The entire idea of Hawking radiation depends on the existence of a curved space time and an event horizon. But when $M=0$ we just get a flat spacetime. There is no event horizon. And note that an $R=0$ event horizon would mean there was nothing inside the black hole - no volume, nothing.

The formula you are using for temperature is based on a model which starts out with a non-zero positive mass and then makes a first order approximation close to the event horizon (Wikipedia has a description of this). But that formula does not apply when you're using $M\to 0$. Again, you're using an approximation based on the assumption of a curved spacetime ($M>0$) and applying it outside it's "designed purpose" as an approximation.

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