In a typical volume of interstellar space, what fraction of the total mass might interstellar dust constitute, despite its significant role?
Answer
About 1%
Although interstellar dust plays a critical role in obscuring light, catalyzing star formation, and aggregating heavier elements, its contribution to the total mass in a typical volume of interstellar space is remarkably small, estimated to be only about 1%. This highlights the extreme dominance of the gaseous components, primarily hydrogen, which vastly outweigh the solid particulate matter. The text illustrates this disparity by comparing the dust component to a small residue in a large container overwhelmingly filled with clear water (gas).
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