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
expand
contract
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, the dense central part of a galaxy will contract over time. This means that it will become smaller and more compact as gravity pulls the matter closer together. The correct answer is "contract."
To understand why this happens, we need to consider the fundamental nature of gravity. Gravity is an attractive force between objects with mass. In a galaxy, there is a significant amount of mass concentrated in the central region, such as a supermassive black hole. The gravitational force exerted by this central mass pulls the surrounding matter towards it.
As this gravitational force pulls matter towards the center, it causes the central part of the galaxy to become denser and more compact. Over time, this contraction continues as more and more matter is drawn towards the central region. This process is known as gravitational collapse.
However, it's important to note that galaxies are dynamic systems influenced by various factors, not just gravity alone. Other factors such as the rotational motion of the galaxy and interactions with nearby galaxies can also influence their evolution.