20140926

Astronomy current events question: computer simulations of interactive dark matter

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2014
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!)
Durham University news release, "Interactive Dark Matter Could Explain Milky Way’s Missing Satellite Galaxies," (September 9, 2014)
https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/newsitem/?itemno=22041
By studying __________, scientists proposed that dark matter interactions could explain why the Milky Way is surrounded by very few satellite galaxies.
(A) captured dark matter particles.
(B) the cosmic background radiation.
(C) computer simulations.
(D) gravitational lensing.
(E) neutrinos given off by the sun.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 13 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 17 students
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 6 students

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