How did dark matter affect the development of structures in the early universe? (1 point)
• It seeded the development of quasars.
• It became part of black holes.
• It cooled pockets of gas to form nebulae
• It seeded the development of galaxies.
It seeded the development of galaxies.
Dark matter played a crucial role in the development of structures in the early universe as it seeded the development of galaxies.
To determine the correct answer, let's break down each option and see how dark matter affected the development of structures in the early universe.
1. Seeding the development of quasars: Quasars are extremely bright, distant celestial objects powered by gas and dust falling into supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies. Dark matter, being invisible and not interacting with electromagnetic radiation, cannot directly seed the formation of quasars. Hence, this option is not correct.
2. Becoming part of black holes: Black holes are formed from the collapse of massive stars, as their core collapses under gravity. While dark matter can interact with normal matter through gravity, it is not expected to form the core or main component of black holes. Therefore, this option is also not correct.
3. Cooling pockets of gas to form nebulae: Nebulae are vast clouds of gas and dust in space. Dark matter does not have the ability to directly cool gas. It primarily interacts with ordinary matter via gravity, rather than through a cooling process. Thus, this option is not correct.
4. Seeding the development of galaxies: This is the correct answer. Dark matter played a crucial role in the formation of structures, including galaxies, in the early universe. It provided the gravitational pull necessary for ordinary matter to clump together over time, leading to the formation of galaxies and galaxy clusters. Dark matter acts as a scaffold around which ordinary matter can gather and form structures.
Therefore, the correct answer is: Dark matter seeded the development of galaxies in the early universe.