The mass of a particular giant molecular cloud in interstellar space is 2 million solar masses. What is the mass of the helium in this cloud?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Giant molecular clouds are typically composed of about 75% hydrogen and 25% helium by mass. Therefore, the mass of helium in the cloud would be approximately 25% of the total mass, which is 0.25 * 2 million solar masses = 500,000 solar masses.

The Mass of a Particular Giant Molecular Cloud in Interstellar