Which statement about accretion disks is not true?
A)The gas in the inner parts of the disk is hotter than the gas in the outer parts of the disk.
B)Accretion disks are made primarily of hydrogen and helium gas.
C)The gas in the inner parts of the disk travels faster than the gas in the outer parts of the disk.
D)The primary factor determining whether a white dwarf has an accretion disk is the white dwarf's mass.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The primary factor determining whether a white dwarf has an accretion disk is not just the white dwarf's mass, but also the presence of a nearby source of material (such as a companion star) and the dynamics of how material is transferred to the white dwarf. The mass of the white dwarf affects the system's evolution and how accretion occurs, but it is the interaction with a companion that typically leads to the formation of an accretion disk.

Which Statement About Accretion Disks Is Not True