Black hole accretion disk "string theory" model

http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xte/outreach/HEG/bhm/bhm_intro.html
Kimberly S. Adams, Argyle Middle School, Silver Spring, MD

Astronomy 10 learning goal Q10.3

Simple model of mass transfer from a giant/supergiant to a black hole.   Conservation of angular momentum from the orbits of this binary system results in the mass transferred from the giant/supergiant forming an accretion disk around the black hole, rather than falling "straight in."

Spacetime, warped

http://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/html/hst15_blackhole_grid.html
European Space Agency

Astronomy 10 learning goal Q10.1

Short movie clip illustrating how the mass of a black hole and the masses of stars "warp" a two-dimensional model of spacetime.   This "warpage" is what is experienced as gravity--no gravitational forces, spacetime is "smooth," stronger and stronger gravitational forces correspond to stronger and stronger "distortions" in spacetime.