An elliptical galaxy could
A)evolve into an irregular galaxy when it has used up all of its gas and dust.
B)be formed from the collision and merger of spiral galaxies.
C)evolve from a single spiral galaxy when the spiral has used up all of its gas and dust.
D)become a starburst galaxy if it were to move through the hot intergalactic medium of a cluster.
E)evolve from an S0 galaxy if the S0 galaxy were to increase its rotation rate.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Elliptical galaxies are often formed from the collision and merger of multiple spiral galaxies. As the spiral galaxies come together, their gas and dust are stripped away, leaving behind mostly older stars which can result in the smooth, oval shape of an elliptical galaxy. Option A is incorrect because irregular galaxies have a more chaotic shape and are formed from various processes such as gravitational interactions between galaxies. Option C is incorrect because spiral galaxies do not evolve into elliptical galaxies, but can merge to form them. Option D is incorrect because starburst galaxies are characterized by intense star formation, which is not a typical feature of elliptical galaxies. Option E is incorrect because an S0 (lenticular) galaxy is already a type of galaxy that has used up most of its gas and dust, and increasing its rotation rate would not cause it to evolve into an elliptical galaxy.

An Elliptical Galaxy Could