Universe: Stars And Galaxies
6th Edition
ISBN: 9781319115098
Author: Roger Freedman, Robert Geller, William J. Kaufmann
Publisher: W. H. Freeman
expand_more
expand_more
format_list_bulleted
Concept explainers
Question
Chapter 18, Problem 4Q
To determine
(a)
The evidence that proves the presence of the interstellar gases.
To determine
(b)
The evidence that proves that there is dust in the interstellar medium.
Expert Solution & Answer
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionStudents have asked these similar questions
At the low temperature found in some interstellar molecular clouds (around 100 K), molecular oxygen emission is strongest at a wavelength of 0.2521 cm. Determine the speed (in km/s) of a low temperature molecular cloud containing molecular oxygen if its strongest emission is at a wavelength of 0.1885 cm. Note that this cloud is moving towards us, so the answer should be negative.
Suppose you want to observe the molecular gas in a galaxy with redshift z using the rotational transition of CO J=4-3. What frequency would you observe this transition at? (Hint: the CO J=1-0 emits a photon at 115.27 GHz, and higher order transitions emit photons with frequencies in multiples of J, e.g., use the knowledge you gained from the problem above). Express your answer as an integer.
Values:
z = 1.3
Chapter 18 Solutions
Universe: Stars And Galaxies
Ch. 18 - Prob. 1QCh. 18 - Prob. 2QCh. 18 - Prob. 3QCh. 18 - Prob. 4QCh. 18 - Prob. 5QCh. 18 - Prob. 6QCh. 18 - Prob. 7QCh. 18 - Prob. 8QCh. 18 - Prob. 9QCh. 18 - Prob. 10Q
Ch. 18 - Prob. 11QCh. 18 - Prob. 12QCh. 18 - Prob. 13QCh. 18 - Prob. 14QCh. 18 - Prob. 15QCh. 18 - Prob. 16QCh. 18 - Prob. 17QCh. 18 - Prob. 18QCh. 18 - Prob. 19QCh. 18 - Prob. 20QCh. 18 - Prob. 21QCh. 18 - Prob. 22QCh. 18 - Prob. 23QCh. 18 - Prob. 24QCh. 18 - Prob. 25QCh. 18 - Prob. 26QCh. 18 - Prob. 27QCh. 18 - Prob. 28QCh. 18 - Prob. 29QCh. 18 - Prob. 30QCh. 18 - Prob. 31QCh. 18 - Prob. 32QCh. 18 - Prob. 33QCh. 18 - Prob. 34QCh. 18 - Prob. 35QCh. 18 - Prob. 36QCh. 18 - Prob. 37QCh. 18 - Prob. 38QCh. 18 - Prob. 39QCh. 18 - Prob. 40QCh. 18 - Prob. 41QCh. 18 - Prob. 42QCh. 18 - Prob. 43QCh. 18 - Prob. 44QCh. 18 - Prob. 45QCh. 18 - Prob. 46QCh. 18 - Prob. 47QCh. 18 - Prob. 48QCh. 18 - Prob. 49Q
Knowledge Booster
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
- Describe how the 21-cm line of hydrogen is formed. Why is this line such an important tool for understanding the interstellar medium?arrow_forwardPrepare a table listing the different ways in which dust and gas can be detected in interstellar space.arrow_forwardA molecular cloud is about 1000 times denser than the average of the interstellar medium. Let’s compare this difference in densities to something more familiar. Air has a density of about 1 kg/m3, so something 1000 times denser than air would have a density of about 1000 kg/m3. How does this compare to the typical density of water? Of granite? (You can find figures for these densities on the internet.) Is the density difference between a molecular cloud and the interstellar medium larger or smaller than the density difference between air and water or granite?arrow_forward
- Where does interstellar dust come from? How does it form?arrow_forwardHow would the density inside a cold cloud (T=10K) compare with the density of the ultra-hot interstellar gas (T=106K) if they were in pressure equilibrium? (It takes a large cloud to be able to shield its interior from heating so that it can be at such a low temperature.) (Hint: In pressure equilibrium, the two regions must have nT equal, where n is the number of particles per unit volume and T is the temperature.) Which region do you think is more suitable for the creation of new stars? Why?arrow_forwardDescribe the characteristics of the various kinds of interstellar gas (HII regions, neutral hydrogen clouds, ultra-hot gas clouds, and molecular clouds).arrow_forward
- Suppose a galaxy formed stars for a few million years and then stopped (and no other galaxy merged or collided with it). What would be the most massive stars on the main sequence after 500 million years? After 10 billion years? How would the color of the galaxy change over this time span? (Refer to Evolution from the Main Sequence to Red Giants.)arrow_forwardSuppose that you gathered a ball of interstellar gas that was equal to the size of Earth (a radius of about 6000 km). If this gas has a density of 1 hydrogen atom per cm3, typical of the interstellar medium, how would its mass compare to the mass of a bowling ball (5 or 6 kg)? How about if it had the typical density of the Local Bubble, about 0.01 atoms per cm3? The volume of a sphere is V=(4/3)R3 .arrow_forwardConsider a grain of sand that contains 1 mg of oxygen (a typical amount for a medium-sized sand grain, since sand is mostly SiO2). How many oxygen atoms does the grain contain? What is the radius of the sphere you would have to spread them out over if you wanted them to have the same density as the interstellar medium, about 1 atom per cm3? You can look up the mass of an oxygen atom.arrow_forward
arrow_back_ios
arrow_forward_ios
Recommended textbooks for you
- AstronomyPhysicsISBN:9781938168284Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. WolffPublisher:OpenStaxStars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399944Author:Michael A. SeedsPublisher:Cengage Learning
- Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399920Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage LearningStars and GalaxiesPhysicsISBN:9781305120785Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage LearningHorizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course ...PhysicsISBN:9781305960961Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage Learning
Astronomy
Physics
ISBN:9781938168284
Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher:OpenStax
Stars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399944
Author:Michael A. Seeds
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399920
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Stars and Galaxies
Physics
ISBN:9781305120785
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course ...
Physics
ISBN:9781305960961
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning