What is an accretion disk?
A) A disk of hot gas swirling rapidly around a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole
B) Any flattened disk in space, such as the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy
C) A stream of gas flowing from one star to its binary companion star
D) A disk of material found around every white dwarf in the Milky Way Galaxy

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An accretion disk is a disk of hot gas that is rapidly swirling around a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole. It forms as material from a nearby star or gas cloud is pulled toward the compact object and heats up due to friction as it falls towards the center. Accretion disks are often visible in X-rays and can emit strong radiation in other wavelengths as well.

What Is an Accretion Disk