What percentage of the Interstellar Medium’s total mass is attributed to solid dust grains?
Answer
1%
The Interstellar Medium (ISM) is composed overwhelmingly of gas, which forms the vast majority of its mass. Specifically, the text delineates that roughly 99% of the ISM’s total mass consists of gas in various states. Consequently, the remaining fraction, comprising the solid microscopic particles often referred to as interstellar dust, accounts for only 1% of the total mass budget of the ISM. This division reflects the overall elemental makeup of a galaxy, where light elements dominate the mass distribution.
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