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Chapter 16
Chapter 16
20
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
05/09/2013

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Term
Properties of an active galaxy include
Definition
powerful X-ray and radio emission from its core, presence of a supermassive black hole, and spectra of the core implying hot gas moving at high speeds.
Term
What is considered an active galaxy?
Definition
Seyfert galaxies, Radio galaxies, quasars and blazars
Term
_____ galaxies are the most common type of galaxies in the Universe
Definition
Spiral
Term
_______ are the most massive galaxies in the Universe's
Definition
Elliptical
Term
Spiral galaxies contain
Definition
mostly young stars, dust and gas in their spiral
Term
Elliptical galaxies contain
Definition
no gas and dust and mostly old stars
Term
How do we know that quasars are distant objects in the Universe?
Definition
Their spectrum shows a very high redshift.
Term
Given that quasars are so far away, what can we conclude about their power output?
Definition
They must be very luminous to be visible at such great distances.
Term
What type of galaxy contains arms and a central bulge?
Definition
Spiral
Term
Centers of almost all galaxies contain
Definition
A supermassive black hole
Term
A galaxy that has no defined shape is called
Definition
Irregular
Term
Starburst galaxies are formed due to
Definition
Mergers of two or more galaxies
Term
Redshift of a galaxy indicates its
Definition
distance to us
Term
Tully-Fisher relation is
Definition
an empirical relationship between a galaxy's luminosity and its rotational velocity (rotation curve)
Term
The Hubble's law relates
Definition
a galaxy's redshift and its distance to us
Term
Observations of the peak flux of a Type I supernova in a galaxy are used to measure
Definition
a distance to them
Term
Evidence in favor of dominant dark matter presence in clusters of galaxies comes from
Definition
measurements of orbital velocities of individual galaxies in a cluster
Term
Astronomers spot dark matter in other galaxies by examining
Definition
their rotation curves
Term
Elliptical galaxies should contain 10 times more dark matter than regular (baryonic) matter because
Definition
they contain hot gas that only be kept in the galaxy if its mass is 10 times greater than actually observed.
Term
Gravitational lensing is
Definition
an effect of bending of light as it passes near a massive object and a powerful tool to spot dark matter in galaxies and clusters of galaxies
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