Final answer:
The Solar System is held together by the gravity of the Sun, and the removal of dark matter would not cause it to fly apart, making option A the correct answer to what would not occur if dark matter was removed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question at hand relates to the role of dark matter in maintaining the structure of the universe and its cosmic bodies such as the solar system, galaxies, and galaxy clusters, as well as its influence on the expansion of the universe. Given what we know about dark matter and its gravitational effects, if all the dark matter were to be instantaneously removed from the universe, the following would occur: 4
The stability of galaxy clusters would be compromised and they would likely fly apart, since dark matter contributes significantly to the gravitational mass that keeps them bound together. Large-scale structures such as superclusters would also be affected, as dark matter is essential to their overall gravitational binding. The expansion of the universe would continue regardless because it is driven by dark energy and not solely by dark matter. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is A) The Solar System would fly apart. This would not happen because the solar system is primarily held together by the gravity of the Sun, and dark matter has a negligible effect on such small-scale systems.