How does the change in the temperature of the universe provide evidence for universe expansion that supports the Big Bang Theory? *
a. The universe is warming which, according to the Big Bang Theory, is expected to happen as the universe shrinks
b. The universe is cooling which, according to the Big Bang Theory, is expected to happen as the universe expands.
c. The universe is cooling which, according to the Big Bang Theory, is expected to happen as the universe shrinks.
d. The universe is warming which, according to the Big Bang Theory, is expected to happen as the universe expands.
b. The universe is cooling which, according to the Big Bang Theory, is expected to happen as the universe expands.
The correct answer is option b. The universe is cooling which, according to the Big Bang Theory, is expected to happen as the universe expands.
To understand why this is the case, let's explore the concept of the Big Bang Theory and its implications for the temperature of the universe. The Big Bang Theory proposes that the universe originated from a singular, extremely hot and dense point around 13.8 billion years ago. This singularity then rapidly expanded, leading to the formation of galaxies and other cosmic structures.
As the universe expanded, it became less dense and cooled down. This is because the expansion causes energy and matter to spread out, which decreases the overall temperature. The relationship between the expansion of the universe and its cooling can be explained by the principle of adiabatic expansion. Adiabatic expansion states that the temperature of a gas decreases as it expands without any heat being added or removed.
As the universe continues to expand, the temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB), which is the afterglow of the early hot universe, also decreases. The CMB is an important piece of evidence for the Big Bang Theory as it was predicted and subsequently discovered in 1965. Its existence and temperature distribution across the universe strongly support the idea of an initial hot, dense phase of the universe followed by expansion and cooling.
In conclusion, the cooling of the universe as it expands provides evidence consistent with the predictions of the Big Bang Theory. Therefore, option b, "The universe is cooling which, according to the Big Bang Theory, is expected to happen as the universe expands," is the correct answer.
The correct answer is b. The universe is cooling which, according to the Big Bang Theory, is expected to happen as the universe expands.
The change in the temperature of the universe provides evidence for universe expansion that supports the Big Bang Theory because the theory suggests that the universe started from a hot and dense state and has been expanding since then. As the universe expands, the temperature of the cosmic background radiation (the remnant heat from the Big Bang) also decreases. This decrease in temperature is consistent with the observational data, which shows that the temperature of the universe is indeed cooling as it expands. This cooling effect is what scientists expected to see if the Big Bang Theory is accurate. Therefore, the cooling temperature of the universe provides evidence in favor of the Big Bang Theory and the expansion of the universe.