Final answer:
Computer models are used to study black holes because the black holes are too far away to study directly, and their effects can only be observed indirectly through their impact on other stars and the surrounding space.
Step-by-step explanation:
Scientists use computer models to study how black holes form in space because black holes are too far from Earth to study directly. Black holes emit no light, making them invisible against the backdrop of space, and they are typically located many light-years away. Additionally, black holes are very small in cosmic terms, with stellar black holes being only a few dozen kilometers across. To understand black holes, scientists use computer models to simulate the gravitational effects black holes have on their surroundings, such as their influence on a nearby companion star. Observations of these effects, combined with computer models, help scientists confirm the existence of black holes and understand their properties.
Research has been supported by observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and X-ray satellites, which align with the predictions made by Einstein's general theory of relativity about the influence of gravity near black holes. Thus, computer models are an essential tool in studying black holes, helping to interpret the indirect evidence we can gather from afar.