compare and contrast spiral and elliptical galaxies. (make at least 2 comparisons.)
There is no common, but thanks anyway for the help dude those helped.
To compare and contrast spiral and elliptical galaxies, let's start by understanding their basic characteristics:
1. Structure:
- Spiral galaxies have a distinct rotating disk-like structure with spiral arms extending from a central bulge. These arms contain young stars, gas, and dust, giving them a bright, star-forming appearance.
- Elliptical galaxies, on the other hand, have a more rounded and elongated shape with no obvious disk or spiral arms. They are predominantly composed of old stars and lack significant amounts of gas and dust.
2. Size and Mass:
- Spiral galaxies can vary widely in size, ranging from small dwarf spiral galaxies to large ones like our Milky Way. They also come in different masses.
- Elliptical galaxies tend to be larger on average than spiral galaxies. They can extend to giant sizes, some even reaching over a million light-years in diameter. Their masses also vary, with some being more massive than spiral galaxies.
3. Stellar Populations:
- Spiral galaxies have a mix of young and old stars. The spiral arms contain young, massive, and bright stars that are actively forming, while the central bulge consists mainly of older stars.
- Elliptical galaxies, on the other hand, predominantly consist of old stars. They have ceased star formation activity and contain a higher concentration of older, redder stars.
4. Central Bulge Shape:
- The central bulge of spiral galaxies is typically more elongated or bar-shaped. These galaxies are known as barred spirals and have a bar structure cutting across the central region before extending into the spiral arms.
- Elliptical galaxies lack the presence of a central bar. Their central bulges are usually more spherical or ellipsoidal in shape.
5. Gas and Dust Content:
- Spiral galaxies have significant amounts of gas and dust, which play a crucial role in ongoing star formation. These galaxies often exhibit nebulas, dust lanes, and regions where new stars are actively forming.
- Elliptical galaxies have minimal gas and dust content. They have already consumed or expelled most of their interstellar medium, resulting in a lack of ongoing star formation activity.
It's important to note that these comparisons may not apply to all spiral and elliptical galaxies, as the universe is vast and diverse. However, these general characteristics can help distinguish between these two major galaxy types.
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "spiral and elliptical galaxies" to get these possible sources:
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=spiral+and+elliptical+galaxies&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.
http://www.hackcollege.com/blog/2011/11/23/infographic-get-more-out-of-google.html
Don't just copy the material. Express the ideas in your own words. Although this will take more time and effort, you will learn more.