Question

What are all elliptical galaxies lacking?

1) any remnants of old stars
2) any and all stars
3) the material to form new nebulae
4) the ability to emit any kind of light

Answer 1

Elliptical galaxies are lacking in 3. the material needed to form new stars and nebulae; they are composed almost entirely of old stars and globular clusters without spiral arms.

Step-by-step explanation:

Eliptical galaxies are characterized by their old stellar populations and lack of new star formation. They consist almost entirely of old stars, giving them a reddish appearance, and they largely contain old Population II stars. These galaxies lack the interstellar material necessary to form new stars, which means they do not have the material to form new nebulae. Unlike spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies also lack spiral arms, and dust and emissions nebulae are not conspicuous in them. Furthermore, most of the gas in elliptical galaxies was converted to stars early in the universe's history, which is why we say they are "red and dead". While elliptical galaxies still emit light, often from many globular clusters and old stars, they don't have systematic rotation patterns that are typical of spiral galaxies.