How do emission and reflection nebulae differ

Question

A contain remnants of stars

B the presence of young stars

C hard line edges

D interactions with light

Answer 1

Emission and reflection nebulae differ primarily in their interaction with light, which relates to option D.

• Emission Nebulae: These nebulae emit their own light. This occurs because they are composed of ionized gas and dust that is energized by the ultraviolet light from nearby young, hot stars. The atoms in the gas become ionized and then recombine, emitting light of various wavelengths in the process.

• Reflection Nebulae: These nebulae do not produce their own light. Instead, they reflect the light of nearby stars. The dust in a reflection nebula scatters the light from these stars, making the nebula visible, but it does not emit light on its own.

In summary, while both types of nebulae are related to stars, the key difference is how they interact with light—emission nebulae emit their own light, while reflection nebulae reflect light from other sources.