The Big Bang Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is the Big Bang Theory?
The scientific theory that the universe originated from a cosmic explosion approximately 13.8 billion years ago.
True or False: The Big Bang Theory suggests that the universe is constantly expanding.
True
Fill in the blank: The Big Bang Theory proposes that all matter and energy were concentrated in a singular extremely hot and dense state known as the ________.
singularity
What evidence supports the Big Bang Theory?
Cosmic microwave background radiation, redshift of galaxies, and the abundance of light elements in the universe.
What is cosmic microwave background radiation?
Faint radiation left over from the early stages of the universe that provides evidence for the Big Bang Theory.
What is redshift?
The phenomenon where light from distant galaxies is shifted towards longer (red) wavelengths, indicating the expansion of the universe.
What are the light elements that are abundant in the universe according to the Big Bang Theory?
Hydrogen and helium
What is the estimated age of the universe according to the Big Bang Theory?
Approximately 13.8 billion years
Who first proposed the Big Bang Theory?
Georges Lemaître
Fill in the blank: The Big Bang Theory is supported by the observation that distant galaxies are moving away from us, as indicated by their ________.
redshift
What is the main alternative theory to the Big Bang Theory?
Steady State Theory
True or False: The Big Bang Theory is widely accepted in the scientific community.
True
What is the cosmic microwave background radiation a remnant of?
The early stages of the universe after the Big Bang.
What is the significance of the abundance of light elements in the universe according to the Big Bang Theory?
It supports the idea that the universe was once in a hot, dense state.
What is the primary observational evidence for the Big Bang Theory?
The redshift of galaxies.
What does the redshift of galaxies indicate about the universe?
That the universe is expanding.
What was the initial state of the universe according to the Big Bang Theory?
A singularity of infinite temperature and density.
What is the significance of the age of the universe in supporting the Big Bang Theory?
It aligns with the predictions of the theory.
Who proposed the concept of an expanding universe that eventually led to the Big Bang Theory?
Edwin Hubble
What is the primary piece of observational evidence that supports the Big Bang Theory?
The cosmic microwave background radiation.
What is the Steady State Theory?
An alternative theory to the Big Bang Theory that suggests the universe has always existed in a steady state.
What is the main difference between the Steady State Theory and the Big Bang Theory?
The Steady State Theory does not involve a singular beginning of the universe.
True or False: The Steady State Theory is widely accepted in the scientific community.
False
What does the redshift of galaxies suggest about the history of the universe?
That it has been expanding since the Big Bang.
