Which solution describes a charged, non-rotating black hole?
Answer
Reissner-Nordström metric
Answer
Reissner-Nordström metric
A charged, non-rotating black hole is described by the Reissner–Nordström metric.
This is a static, spherically symmetric solution of the Einstein–Maxwell equations, combining gravity with the electric field produced by charge. Unlike the Schwarzschild metric, which describes an uncharged, non-rotating mass, Reissner–Nordström includes an electric charge parameter while keeping angular momentum at zero.
A charged black hole can have two horizons: an outer event horizon and an inner Cauchy horizon. When the charge reaches an extreme value, the horizons merge; if the charge is too large relative to the mass, the mathematical solution has no event horizon and instead produces a naked singularity. Such objects are generally regarded as physically prohibited by cosmic censorship.
The metric is often confused with Kerr, which describes a rotating uncharged black hole, or Kerr–Newman, which describes a black hole that is both charged and rotating. The solution was developed independently by several physicists between 1916 and 1921.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026