If a galaxy has a measured redshift value of z=3, by what factor has its light wavelength been stretched?
Answer
A factor of 1+z, or 4 times its original wavelength
The stretching factor of light waves due to cosmological redshift is quantified directly using the redshift parameter, $z$. The relationship dictates that the observed wavelength is scaled by a factor of one plus the redshift value ($1+z$). Therefore, if a galaxy possesses a measured redshift $z=3$, the light observed has been stretched by a factor of $1+3$, which equals four. This means the wavelength measured by the telescope is four times longer than the wavelength that was originally emitted by the stars within that distant galaxy when the light first began its journey toward us.
Related Questions
What stellar population primarily dictates a galaxy's vibrant blue appearance?What physical process stretches light waves leading to the phenomenon of redshift for distant galaxies?What two distinct physical phenomena can cause a galaxy to appear red?If a galaxy has a measured redshift value of z=3, by what factor has its light wavelength been stretched?What foundational relationship did Edwin Hubble establish concerning galaxies based on redshift measurements?What chiefly dictates the intrinsic color of a galaxy, separate from distance effects?Which celestial object is explicitly mentioned as exhibiting a blueshift due to approaching the observer?Why are powerful infrared instruments like those on the James Webb Space Telescope essential for observing the very first galaxies?How did the light forming the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) achieve its current microwave frequency?When astronomers analyze a galaxy spectrum, how is the known wavelength of spectral lines like hydrogen used to calculate distance?