How do emission and reflection nebulae differ?(1 point)
Responses
the presence of young stars
contain remnants of stars
interactions with light
hard line edges
The correct answer is "interactions with light". Emission nebulae are caused by the interaction of energetic ultraviolet radiation from hot, young stars with surrounding gas, causing the gas to emit its own light. On the other hand, reflection nebulae are caused by the scattering of light off dust particles in space, reflecting the light from nearby stars and appearing as a bluish glow. Both types of nebulae can contain young stars and remnants of stars, but their distinguishing factor lies in their different interactions with light. The option "hard line edges" is not a distinguishing factor between emission and reflection nebulae.
Emission and reflection nebulae differ in terms of their interactions with light.
Emission and reflection nebulae differ in several ways. To determine these differences, we need to understand their characteristics and how they interact with light.
1. The presence of young stars: Emission nebulae are often associated with regions of ongoing star formation. They emit visible light by excited atoms releasing energy, creating colorful glow. This is in contrast to reflection nebulae, which do not contain young stars but instead reflect the light of nearby stars.
2. Contain remnants of stars: While emission nebulae are associated with active star formation, they do not contain remnants of stars. Instead, they consist of ionized gas and dust. On the other hand, some reflection nebulae may contain remnants of stars within them. These remnants could be in the form of supernova remnants or clouds of ejected materials from dying stars.
3. Interactions with light: Emission nebulae are dominated by emission lines, as excited atoms emit light of specific wavelengths. These emission lines often create vibrant colors like red, green, and blue. In contrast, reflection nebulae scatter and reflect the light from nearby stars, causing them to appear bluish.
4. Hard line edges: Nebulae, regardless of whether they are emission or reflection nebulae, do not have hard line edges. Their boundaries are rather diffuse and can be influenced by factors like the density of the gas and dust, as well as the strength of nearby light sources. So, hard line edges are not a distinguishing characteristic between emission and reflection nebulae.
To summarize, emission nebulae are associated with ongoing star formation, emit visible light through excited atoms, and do not contain remnants of stars. In contrast, reflection nebulae reflect the light of nearby stars, may contain remnants of stars, and appear bluish in color due to scattering.