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Q&A: Black Holes
Q:
Could the supermassive black holes discovered at the center
of nearly all visible galaxies possibly make up for the lack
of mass observed in the universe? And since so little is know
about the interior regions of a black hole, where the
majority of physics and mathematics may not even be
applicable, could the computations of the mass of these large
bodies be miscalculated?
A:
It does not seem possible that supermassive black holes in
the centers of galaxies can account for the dark matter, for
two reasons. First, research over the past few years has
shown that the mass of the supermassive black holes at the
centers of galaxies is less than a percent of the mass of
their host galaxy. Secondly, the distribution of the dark
matter is not consistent with a central massive object. In
order to explain the motions of the stars and galaxies, it
must be spread out throughout the individual galaxies, and
beyond, so that a more appropriate view would be of a galaxy
embedded in a large invisible ball of dark matter.