Stellar and Galactic Crowding: the Comparison of Objects' Sizes to the Distance

question 49

Essay

Stellar and galactic crowding: The comparison of objects' sizes to the distance between them gives a sense of their relative density, i.e., how "crowded" they are. A typical human is about 1 meter across the shoulders. Compare the relative density of people in the case where they are standing on average 1 meter apart compared to a situation where they are on average 10 meters apart (hint: describe the separation in units of person- size). Now, compare the "crowding" of stars to that of galaxies. A typical star has a diameter of about 1 million km, while the average space between stars is about 5 light- years. A typical spiral galaxy in a cluster (such as the Milky Way)is 100,000 light- years across, and has another spiral galaxy within about 10 million light years.

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Definitions:

Norm

A standard or rule governing behavior that is considered acceptable within a group or society.

Standard

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A leadership philosophy in which the main goal of the leader is to serve. This is different from traditional leadership where the leader's main focus is the thriving of their company or organizations.

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Acting with the intention of helping or benefiting others without expecting personal gain or recognition.