What structures represent the largest known gravitationally bound structures in the universe mentioned?
Answer
Galaxy clusters.
Galaxies are not isolated; they aggregate into larger structures, such as the Milky Way being part of the Local Group. However, galaxy clusters are described as representing the largest known gravitationally bound structures in the universe overall. On this massive scale, the collective gravity of entire galaxies is needed to keep them bound. Furthermore, these clusters exhibit the same mass discrepancy puzzle as individual galaxies, requiring immense amounts of unseen dark matter to prevent the constituent member galaxies from flying out of the cluster's gravitational embrace due to their high relative velocities.
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What Force Binds A Galaxy Together? - Physics Frontier - YouTube
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