Under the influence of gravity, over time the dense central part of a galaxy will do what?(1 point)
Responses
stay as it is, forces balanced
contract
expand
stay the same size but spin more slowly
contract
Under the influence of gravity, over time the dense central part of a galaxy will contract.
Under the influence of gravity, over time the dense central part of a galaxy will contract.
To understand why, let's consider how gravity works within a galaxy. In a galaxy, such as our own Milky Way, there is a vast amount of matter, including stars, gas, and dust, concentrated at the center. This concentration of mass creates a gravitational force that pulls everything inward.
Initially, the matter within a galaxy is not at equilibrium due to the random motions of stars and other objects. However, over time, gravitational interactions between the matter within the galaxy will tend to bring it towards a more stable configuration.
As matter within a galaxy gradually contracts, it becomes more densely packed. This contraction occurs because the gravitational force between the objects within the galaxy pulls them closer together. As a result, the central part of the galaxy becomes denser and more compact.
Therefore, the correct answer is that under the influence of gravity, the dense central part of a galaxy will contract.