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Astronomy & Space vocabulary · Cosmology

Dark matter

Meaning in astronomy & space, with examples

nounCommon term

In astronomy & space, dark matter means: An invisible form of matter that neither gives off nor absorbs light but whose gravity holds galaxies and galaxy clusters together. Its nature is still unknown.

In Turkish: karanlık madde

How it is used

A central idea in modern cosmology. Scientists infer dark matter from how fast galaxies rotate and how light bends around galaxy clusters, and they search for its particles with underground detectors. It makes up about 85% of all matter.

Example sentences

  1. Without dark matter, the outer stars of the galaxy would fly off into space.

  2. No experiment has directly detected a dark matter particle yet.

Common collocations

  • dark matter halo
  • detect dark matter
  • dark matter particle
  • evidence for dark matter
  • dark energyThe unknown cause of the accelerating expansion of the universe. It makes up about two thirds of the total energy content of the universe.
  • galaxyAn enormous system of stars, gas, dust and dark matter held together by gravity. A large galaxy can contain hundreds of billions of stars.
  • universeAll of space and time and everything in it: matter, energy, planets, stars and galaxies. Its observable part is about 93 billion light-years across.
  • gravityThe force that pulls any two objects with mass towards each other. It keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun and keeps our feet on the ground.

More terms: Cosmology

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