What materials primarily compose the solid dust grains in nebulae?
Answer
Silicates, carbon compounds, or iron.
The dust component within nebulae is crucial to their visual character and is not ordinary geological dirt. Instead, this dust consists of tiny, solid grains, often measured as only a few hundred atoms across. The primary chemical compositions identified for these microscopic particles include silicates—compounds based on silicon and oxygen—various carbon compounds, and iron. These grains are responsible for blocking background light (as in dark nebulae) or scattering starlight (as in reflection nebulae).
#Videos
Nebulae: Crash Course Astronomy #36 - YouTube
Types of Nebulae - Clouds of Gas and Dust - YouTube
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