Which of the following is evidence for supermassive black holes in active galaxies?
A)rapid changes in the luminosity of the galaxy nucleus
B)quasars emitting approximately equal power at all wavelengths from infrared to gamma rays
C)the very high speeds of gas orbiting around the galactic nucleus
D)the discovery of powerful jets coming from a compact core
E)all of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All of the given options are evidences for the presence of supermassive black holes in active galaxies. Rapid changes in luminosity indicate an energy source that can turn on and off; equal power at all wavelengths indicates a single, compact source of energy that is likely a supermassive black hole; high speeds of gas indicate a huge mass at the center exerting enormous gravitational pull; powerful jets are observed coming from the compact core, which is typical of active galaxies with supermassive black holes.

Which of the Following Is Evidence for Supermassive Black Holes