๐Ÿชintro to astronomy review

key term - Dark matter

Definition

Dark matter is a form of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it invisible to current instruments. It exerts gravitational forces and is thought to constitute approximately 27% of the universe's mass-energy content.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Dark matter was first hypothesized by Fritz Zwicky in the 1930s while studying galaxy clusters.
  2. It is essential for explaining the rotation curves of galaxies, which show that outer regions rotate faster than can be accounted for by visible mass alone.
  3. Gravitational lensing provides indirect evidence for dark matter through its effect on light from distant objects.
  4. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data supports the existence of dark matter as part of the universe's composition.
  5. Unlike normal baryonic matter, dark matter does not interact with electromagnetic forces, making it difficult to detect directly.

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