According to the theory that active galactic nuclei are powered by supermassive black holes,the energy released as light comes from
A)nuclear fusion in the accretion disk surrounding the black hole.
B)gravitational potential energy released by matter that is falling toward the black hole.
C)matter-antimatter annihilation occurring just outside the event horizon of the black hole.
D)jets emerging from the accretion disk.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the theory of active galactic nuclei, the energy released as light comes from the gravitational potential energy released by matter that is falling toward the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. This matter forms an accretion disk around the black hole, and the frictional forces involved in the motion of the matter within the disk convert the gravitational potential energy into light.

According to the Theory That Active Galactic Nuclei Are Powered