The jets of material moving away from a supermassive black hole are generated by high pressures and temperatures at the base of the accretion disk. What causes these high temperatures?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The high temperatures at the base of the accretion disk around a supermassive black hole are primarily caused by friction. As matter in the disk spirals inward towards the black hole, it speeds up and becomes densely packed, leading to intense frictional forces that heat the material to extremely high temperatures.

The Jets of Material Moving Away from a Supermassive Black