Which is a characteristic of dark matter?
1- it does not interact with baryonic matter
2- it has not been observed directly
3- it interacts with electromagnetic radiation
4- humans can see it
The correct answer is:
2- it has not been observed directly
1- it does not interact with baryonic matter
The characteristic of dark matter that aligns with the given options is:
1- it does not interact with baryonic matter
Dark matter is a form of matter that cannot be directly observed, hence option 2 is also correct. However, option 1 explicitly describes a characteristic of dark matter, while option 2 describes the difficulty in its observation.
To elaborate on how to arrive at this answer, it is important to understand the nature of dark matter. Dark matter is hypothesized to make up a significant portion of the universe, yet it does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, which is why it is termed "dark." It is deemed to interact gravitationally with baryonic matter (ordinary matter like atoms and molecules), guiding the formation of galaxies and large-scale structures in the universe. However, it does not interact through electromagnetic radiation, which includes visible light that humans can see.
Therefore, by carefully evaluating the characteristics of dark matter, we can deduce that it does not interact with baryonic matter, making option 1 the correct choice.