According to measurements made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), which material is by far the most plentiful in the universe?
neutrinos neutrinos baryonic matter baryonic matter dark matter dark matter dark energy
The most plentiful material in the universe, according to measurements made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), is dark energy.
According to measurements made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), the most plentiful material in the universe is dark energy. Dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that is believed to be responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe. It makes up about 68% of the total energy content of the universe. Dark matter, on the other hand, is estimated to make up about 27% of the total energy content, while baryonic matter (normal matter made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons) makes up only about 5%. Neutrinos, although abundant in the universe, make up a relatively small fraction of the total energy content.
To determine which material is the most plentiful in the universe according to measurements made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), we need to understand the observations made by the mission.
The WMAP mission was designed to map the cosmic microwave background (CMB), which is the afterglow of the Big Bang. By observing the CMB, scientists can gather information about the composition of the universe.
Based on the WMAP measurements and other observational data, the current understanding is that the universe is primarily composed of three main components: baryonic matter, dark matter, and dark energy.
Baryonic matter refers to the ordinary matter made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons, which includes all visible matter such as stars, galaxies, and planets.
Dark matter is an invisible form of matter that has gravitational effects on visible matter but does not interact with electromagnetic radiation. It makes up a significant portion of the total matter in the universe and is thought to play a crucial role in the formation of structures like galaxies.
Dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that is believed to be responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe. It pervades all of space but its exact nature is still a mystery to scientists.
Based on current measurements, dark matter is estimated to account for approximately 27% of the total matter-energy content of the universe, while baryonic matter makes up around 5%. Dark energy is believed to contribute to about 68% of the universe.
Therefore, according to measurements made by the WMAP, the most plentiful material in the universe is dark energy, followed by dark matter and then baryonic matter.