Origins of the Universe Flashcards
Can all explanations of the origins of the universe be explain scientifically?
No
What should scientific claims about the origins of the universe have?
They should be based on observations and should be tested
What is Newton’s first law of motion?
Every object in a state of uniform motion unless an external force is applied to it
What is Newton’s second law of motion?
The relationship between an object’s mass (m), and its acceleration (A)
What is the equation for Newton’s second law of motion?
force = mass x acceleration
What is Newton’s third law of motion?
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
What is Newton’s law of universal gravity?
Every mass attracts other masses in the universe with a gravitational force
Equation for Newton’s law of universal gravity?
F = G(m1m2 / r2)
Did everyone believe Newton’s laws?
No, people found small discrepancies between Newton’s laws and observed astronomical events
What’s the first problem that people found with Newton’s law of motion?
Mercury’s orbit did not follow Newton’s predictions
-Mercury’s elliptical orbit keeps on changing
What’s the second problem that people found with Newton’s law of motion?
Gravity can bend light
- During solar eclipses, a halo of light is seen around the moon
- It appears that light is bent around the moon due to gravity. However, light has no mass
What’s the third problem that people found with Newton’s law of motion?
Behaviour of spiral galaxies
-The rotation of stars around the centre of spiral galaxies do not obey Newton’s laws of motion and gravity
Did Albert Einstein agree with Newton’s ideas? Why/Why not?
No, he didn’t
- Einstein came up with his special theory of relativity
- The summary of this is that nothing in the universe can travel as fast as the speed of light
What did Newton predict about the Earth and how did this disprove his own theory?
Newton would predict that as soon as the sun disappears, the force grabbing the Earth would Instantly disappear too.
Therefore, the Earth would instantly move away due to Newton’s 1st law of motion
What is Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity?
Einstein proposed that 3 dimensional space is connected to time..
He imagined that the four things are woven into the fabric. He called this the four dimensional fabric of space-time
When happens when a large mass occupies a place in the space-time fabric?
It warps like a real fabric
Why is the warping of the space-time fabric crucial to our Earth?
Because it creates what we experience as gravity
Define how the earth orbits the sun in context to the warped space-time fabric
The Earth doesn’t orbit the sun because the sun reached out to the earth, but it simply follows the curved in the warp of space-time music