Astronomers Observe the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a Not Very

question 16

Multiple Choice

Astronomers observe the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) , a not very dense, rather small galaxy near us. They notice that even those stars that formed recently have relatively few heavier elements (when compared to such recent stars in our Milky Way.) What is the likely explanation for this deficiency?

• A) most stars in the SMC don't produce their energy through the process of nuclear fusion
• B) most stars in the SMC finished going through their lives many billions of years ago
• C) because the SMC is small and its stars are widely spaced, the rate of star formation (and star death) is much slower there
• D) in small galaxies, only low-mass stars can form (and these do not produce supernovae)
• E) astronomers cannot come up with any explanation for this puzzling observation

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