What is the mass-to-light ratio for the inner region of the Milky Way Galaxy,in units of solar masses per solar luminosity?
A)1,000
B)600
C)100
D)6
E)0.1

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mass-to-light ratio for the inner region of the Milky Way Galaxy is estimated to be around 6 solar masses per solar luminosity. This means that for every unit of luminosity that we observe, there are approximately 6 solar masses of matter present. This value suggests that there is a large amount of dark matter in the center of the Milky Way, since the observed luminosity alone cannot account for the observed gravitational effects. Other choices are incorrect, as they are either too high (A, B, and C) or too low (E) compared to the estimated value.

What Is the Mass-To-Light Ratio for the Inner Region of the Milky