what force holds the billions of stars in a galaxt together?
Gravity holds stars together in a galaxy. Nothing is holding the galactic clusters together. They seem to be separating at an increasing rate, following the Big Bang.
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The force that holds the billions of stars in a galaxy together is called gravitational force.
Gravitational force is the attraction between two objects with mass. In the case of a galaxy, the stars within it have mass, and this mass creates a gravitational pull on each other.
To understand how gravitational force holds galaxies together, we can start with the concept of gravity itself. Gravity is a fundamental force in the universe, and it acts between any two objects with mass. The strength of gravity depends on the masses of the objects and the distance between them.
In a galaxy, the combined gravitational force from all the stars helps to hold them together. Each star exerts a gravitational force on every other star, pulling them toward each other. This inward pull counteracts the tendency of the stars to move away from each other due to their individual motions. Thus, the gravitational force between the stars effectively keeps the galaxy cohesive.
It's important to note that the concept of dark matter also plays a role in the dynamics of galactic structures. Dark matter is a mysterious, invisible substance that is thought to account for a significant portion of a galaxy's mass. Its gravitational effect helps to stabilize galaxies and contribute to their overall structure. However, the precise nature of dark matter is still a subject of ongoing scientific research.
In summary, the force that holds the billions of stars in a galaxy together is gravitational force, which acts as an attractive force between the stars due to their mass.