6.5

Question 1

What is happening to the universe’s temperature? (According to the big bang theory)

Answer 1

The universe is still cooling down.

Question 2

How did the universe begin according to the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 2

As a small, hot singularity with a big bang.

Question 3

What happens to the space between galaxies as the universe expands?

Answer 3

The space between galaxies is increasing.

Question 4

What does the Steady State Theory suggest about the universe’s beginning and end?

Answer 4

The universe has no beginning and no end.

Question 5

How does the Steady State Theory explain the constant space between galaxies?

Answer 5

As the universe expands, new stars and galaxies are continuously created to replace old ones.

Question 6

Why did Einstein’s equation (E=mc²) support the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 6

It showed that energy could convert to mass, helping explain the formation of matter after the Big Bang.

Question 7

How did red shift support the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 7

Red shift shows galaxies moving away, indicating the universe is expanding.

Question 8

How do the amounts of hydrogen and helium support the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 8

The observed ratios of H and He match predictions from the Big Bang model of early nuclear fusion.

Question 9

What is Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB) and how does it support the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 9

CMB is leftover radiation from the Big Bang, serving as evidence of an initial hot, dense state.

Question 10

When did the Big Bang occur?

Answer 10

15 billion years ago.

Question 11

What was the starting point of the universe according to the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 11

A single point called a singularity.

Question 12

What particles formed matter after the Big Bang?

Answer 12

Positrons and electrons, which collided to create light energy, then formed protons and neutrons.

Question 13

Which elements formed early in the universe?

Answer 13

Hydrogen, helium, and lithium.

Question 14

What happened when the universe cooled to 3000°C?

Answer 14

H, He, and Li captured electrons to form the first atoms, allowing light to travel through space.

Question 15

How did the first stars form?

Answer 15

Gravity pulled hydrogen, helium, and lithium together, starting nuclear fusion reactions.

Question 16

How did galaxies form after the Big Bang?

Answer 16

Gravity pulled more matter to certain areas, forming galaxies.

Question 17

What was a major flaw of the Big Bang Theory initially?

Answer 17

The idea that matter could not appear from nothing.

Question 18

How did Einstein’s equation (E=mc²) support the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 18

It showed that energy could be converted into matter, making the Big Bang Theory more plausible.

Question 19

What does E=mc² prove?

Answer 19

That matter can be made from energy and vice versa.

Question 20

What does the red shift of light indicate about the universe?

Answer 20

The red shift provides evidence for an expanding universe, supporting the Big Bang Theory.

Question 21

How does the abundance of hydrogen and helium support the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 21

The high amounts of hydrogen and helium in the universe suggest they were formed in the early moments of the Big Bang, as the Steady State Theory cannot account for the observed abundance of helium.

Question 22

Why does the abundance of helium challenge the Steady State Theory?

Answer 22

The Steady State Theory suggests helium is only made in stars, but 8.7% of atoms in the universe are helium, which is too much to be explained by stellar fusion alone.

Question 23

What is Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB)?

Answer 23

CMB is radiation left over from the Big Bang, observed as a faint glow throughout the universe, with a temperature of about 2.7˚C above absolute zero.

Question 24

How was Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation discovered?

Answer 24

In 1965, engineers accidentally detected a consistent radio noise coming from all directions, later identified as Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, evidence for the Big Bang.

Question 25

Why is Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation important for the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 25

CMB provides evidence of the universe’s origin in a hot, dense state, supporting the Big Bang Theory as it matches predictions of residual radiation from the early universe.

Question 26

What temperature is associated with Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation?

Answer 26

CMB corresponds to a temperature of approximately 2.7˚C above absolute zero, or about -270˚C, as predicted for the universe 15 billion years after its creation.

Question 27

What does the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation map created by the WMAP mission show?

Answer 27

The CMB map shows temperature variations in the universe 380,000 years after the Big Bang. Cooler blue regions indicate areas where atoms, and eventually galaxies, could form; warmer red regions show areas with higher temperatures.

Question 28

How does the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation map support the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 28

The map supports the Big Bang Theory by showing that galaxies are not evenly spread across the universe and that cooler regions allowed for atom and galaxy formation, indicating an expanding universe.

Question 29

What is significant about the radiation detected in the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation map?

Answer 29

The CMB radiation detected is the first radiation to escape, released only 380,000 years after the Big Bang, providing a “snapshot” of the early universe.

Question 30

What do the blue and red regions on the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation map represent?

Answer 30

The blue regions are cooler areas where atoms and galaxies could form, while the red regions are warmer areas. These variations in temperature indicate the early structure and expansion of the universe.