Dark matter and dark energy are such mysterious elements about which science’s understanding is still incomplete. Together, these two elements make up most of our universe. But very little information has been found about them so far. Let us tell you in this article today what these two things are and what is the difference between these two.
what is dark matter called
Dark matter is a substance that cannot be seen directly. It neither absorbs nor emits light. We can only estimate its presence from its gravitational effects i.e. gravitational force. Whatever stars, planets and other visible matter are there in the universe, they are only 5%. While about 27% is of dark matter.
The main function of dark matter is to hold galaxies together. If it were not there, the stars of galaxies would have gone very far away from each other. In their research, scientists found that the total mass of galaxies is much more than their visible mass. This led to the conclusion that there must be some invisible mass, which we call dark matter. There are many theories about the possible particles of dark matter, but they have not been directly caught. Scientists are now trying to make such detectors, with the help of which they can be identified.
what is dark energy called
Dark energy is a mysterious energy that is accelerating the expansion of the universe. In 1998, when scientists discovered that the expansion of the universe is accelerating rather than slowing down, they hypothesized dark energy. Dark energy makes up about 68% of the total mass-energy of the universe. The nature of dark energy is not yet fully understood. It is believed to be present in every corner of the universe and due to this the distance between galaxies increases with time. To understand its effect, scientists have introduced several models, of which the cosmological constant model is the most popular, which was included by Einstein in his theory of general relativity.
What is the difference between dark matter and dark energy
Dark matter and dark energy are both mysterious elements of the universe, but their functions and effects are different. The function of dark matter is to hold galaxies and other celestial bodies together through gravitational force. It can also be called the “glue” of the universe, which holds galaxies together.
At the same time, dark energy is a repellent energy, which is accelerating the expansion of the universe. While dark matter works to connect galaxies, dark energy is pushing them away from each other. Due to its effect, the universe is expanding rapidly and the rate of this expansion is increasing with time.