Notes on Theories of the Origin of the Universe (Transcript-based)
Universe
- contains all matter, space, and time.
- contains all the galaxies, stars, and planets.
- Our Solar System is located in the Milky Way galaxy, which is one of many galaxies in the Universe.
- Optical telescopes have been used for astronomical observation since the time of Galileo.
Cosmology
- studies the origin, evolution, and fate of the universe.
Creationism
- Genesis (one of the books of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament).
- God created the sky, land, sea, moon, stars, and every living creature in a span of six days.
Hindu Cosmology (Rigveda)
- Universe as an infinitely oscillating universe.
- Cosmic egg (Brahmanda) – contains the universe; expands out of a single point called Bindu, and will eventually collapse again.
Primordial Universe (Anaxagoras)
- Anaxagoras — Greek philosopher.
- Cosmos was a primordial mixture of all its ingredients.
- This mixture was set in motion by the action of the “nous” or mind.
- Whirling motion sifted and separated the ingredients.
Atomic Universe (Leucippus and Democritus)
- Greek philosophers.
- Cosmos composed of tiny, inseparable, and indestructible atoms.
Big Bang Theory (Georges Henri Joseph Edouard Lemaître)
- The universe began from a singularity, an infinitely small, hot, and dense point.
- It rapidly expanded and continued to stretch.
Steady State Theory (Hoyle, Gold, Bondi)
- The universe has been present ever since and therefore has no beginning and no end.
- The density of matter in the expanding universe remains unchanged due to a continuous creation of matter.
The Big Crunch Theory (Alexander Friedman and John Wheeler)
- At a certain point in time, the expansion will stop and the universe will collapse into itself.
- It would pull everything inward until it becomes the biggest black hole ever.
Oscillating Universe (Richard Tolman)
- Combines the Big Bang and the Big Crunch as part of a cyclic event.
- Postulates that the universe goes through regular cycles of expansion and destruction.
Assignment
- Research other theories explaining the origin of the universe.
- Include a description of each theory.
Closing