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A black hole is an area of space wherein there is no way for an object to escape its gravitational pull. 

In a black hole, there is a huge concentration of mass. This is what gives the hole its gravitational strength. Scientists generally agree that these areas are formed following the death of a massive star. As we know, the sun is a star, but scientists do not think the sun is large enough to ever have the capacity to create a black hole upon its death. Rather, a dying star would have to weigh ten times more than our sun to create such an area.

Because a black hole has such intense gravitational pull, nothing can escape it, not even light. This lack of light accounts for the "black," part of the term as the gravitational forces will cause its appearance to remain dark infinitely. Though scientists cannot see black holes, when they find areas in space where large amounts of mass are contained in a small volume, and the area is dark, chances are there is a black hole in the area.