Dark Matter. A type of matter hypothesized to account for a large part of the total mass in the universe. Dark matter cannot be seen directly with telescopes; evidently it neither emits nor absorbs light or other electromagnetic radiation at any significant level.
What is dark matter?
Dark Matter Facts Dark matter played an important role in the formation of galaxies. Researchers use astronomical surveys to build maps of the location of dark matter in the universe based on how the light from distant galaxies bends as it travels to us.
What is dark matter answer?
dark matter, a component of the universe whose presence is discerned from its gravitational attraction rather than its luminosity. Dark matter makes up 30.1 percent of the matter-energy composition of the universe; the rest is dark energy (69.4 percent) and “ordinary” visible matter (0.5 percent).
What is dark matter quizlet astronomy?
dark matter. Matter that does not give off electromagnetic radiation. dark energy. A mysterious force that appears to be causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. gravitational lenses.
What is dark matter made of quizlet?
What might dark matter be made of? There does not appear to be enough ordinary matter in the form of stars, planets, and gas clouds to account for all the dark matter. Therefore, scientists suspect that most of it is made of exotic particles known as WIMPs that have yet to be directly detected.
Why is it called dark matter?
Dark matter is called "dark" because it does not appear to interact with the electromagnetic field, which means it does not absorb, reflect, or emit electromagnetic radiation (like light) and is, therefore, difficult to detect.
Why is dark matter so important?
Despite its invisibility, dark matter has been critical to the evolution of our universe and to the emergence of stars, planets and even life. That is because dark matter carries five times the mass of ordinary matter and, furthermore, does not directly interact with light.
Is dark matter gravity?
Dark matter, the invisible stuff whose gravity is thought to hold galaxies together, may be the least satisfying concept in physics.
What is dark matter composed of?
Most scientists think that dark matter is composed of non-baryonic matter. The lead candidate, WIMPS (weakly interacting massive particles), are believed to have ten to a hundred times the mass of a proton, but their weak interactions with "normal" matter make them difficult to detect.
Why do we call dark matter dark quizlet?
Why do we call dark matter "dark"? It emits no radiation that we have been able to detect.