Astronomy current events question: computer models of disk galaxy evolution

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Curtis Struck, Bruce Elmegreen, Mike Krapfl, "Iowa State, IBM Astronomers Explain Why Disk Galaxies Eventually Look Alike," September 11, 2013
http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/09/11/galaxyevolution

Iowa State and IBM astronomers propose that irregular galaxies become flattened disks due to gravitational interactions, based on:
(A) distribution of dark matter.
(B) supermassive black holes.
(C) archived photographs of older galaxies.
(D) computer simulations.
(E) images of gravitational lensing.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 6 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 13 students
(D) : 25 students
(E) : 7 students