A stellar-mass black hole is accreting gas from a nearby O star in an X-ray binary.How does the peak wavelength of the system's X-ray emission change over time as this mass is transferred?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The peak wavelength of the system's X-ray emission decreases as the black hole gains mass because the increase in mass leads to stronger gravitational pull, which in turn heats the accreting material to higher temperatures, emitting X-rays at shorter wavelengths.

A Stellar-Mass Black Hole Is Accreting Gas from a Nearby