If a small black hole (say about .1 mm radius or 1% of Earth's mass) came flying along at the speed of a comet or higher and impacted the earth, what would happen? Would it pass through the earth (and atmosphere) with minimal damage? Would it leave a crater (entry or exit?) Would it create a big enough shock wave to significantly damage the earth? Would it be captured and wander around inside the earth?
I read a book a few years ago with this as the primary part of the plot, and I have wondered about the physics ever since.
Answer
There would, of course, be no "impact" since the black hole won't interact with the earth the same way that a solid object would.
However, the gravitational effects from the black hole would be catastrophic. Since the black hole is about as massive as the Moon, it would significantly deform the earth as it passes through, causing mega-earthquakes, mega-tsunamis, and mega-volcanoes.
(the actual accretion rate of matter into the black hole would be negligible, as mentioned in the other question)
Per Alan's comment: some of the matter that gets pulled near the black hole will be turned into extremely powerful radiation (in a relativistic jet along its axis of rotation) which will surely do additional damage.
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