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Chapter 21: Problem 6

The Big Bang theory predicted (select all that apply) a. the Hubble law. b. the cosmic microwave background radiation. c. the cosmological principle. d. the abundance of helium. e. the period-luminosity relationship of Cepheid variables.

Short Answer

Expert verified
a, b, d

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Big Bang theory

The Big Bang theory describes the origin and evolution of the universe, proposing that it began from a very hot, dense state and has been expanding over time.
02

Recognize predictions made by the Big Bang theory

Identify phenomena that support the Big Bang theory: the Hubble law, cosmic microwave background radiation, and the abundance of helium.
03

Evaluate each option

a. The Hubble law is a prediction of the expanding universe.b. The cosmic microwave background radiation is a remnant of the early universe.c. The cosmological principle is a foundational assumption but not a prediction.d. The abundance of helium is explained by nucleosynthesis in the early universe.e. The period-luminosity relationship of Cepheid variables is not a prediction of the Big Bang.
04

Make your selection

Based on the evaluation, select all options that align with predictions made by the Big Bang theory: a, b, and d.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Hubble law
The Hubble law is a fundamental observation that supports the Big Bang theory. It states that galaxies are moving away from us at speeds proportional to their distance. Here's what you need to know:
  • The law is represented by the equation \( v = H_0 \times d \) where \( v \) is the velocity of the galaxy, \( H_0 \) is the Hubble constant, and \( d \) is the distance to the galaxy.
  • Edwin Hubble discovered this relationship in the 1920s.
  • It implies that the universe is expanding, which is a cornerstone of the Big Bang theory.
  • The expansion suggests that the universe was once concentrated in a hot, dense state.
Understanding the Hubble law helps us grasp the idea of an ever-expanding universe.
Cosmic microwave background radiation
Cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation is another crucial prediction of the Big Bang theory. It is the afterglow of the early universe, providing evidence of its hot and dense beginnings.
  • The CMB was discovered accidentally in 1965 by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson.
  • The radiation is almost uniform in all directions, indicating that the early universe was in thermal equilibrium.
  • Its temperature is approximately 2.7 Kelvin.
  • The CMB is a snapshot of the universe when it was about 380,000 years old and had cooled enough for protons and electrons to combine and form neutral hydrogen atoms.
The existence and characteristics of the CMB support the Big Bang model by providing a glimpse into the universe's infancy.
Abundance of helium
The Big Bang theory also predicts the abundance of helium in the universe. Helium, along with hydrogen, makes up most of the observable matter.
  • During the first few minutes after the Big Bang, the universe was hot enough for nuclear fusion to occur.
  • This process, called Big Bang nucleosynthesis, generated light elements like hydrogen, helium, and trace amounts of lithium.
  • Predicted and observed amounts of helium-4 align closely, supporting the theory.
  • Approximately 25% of the universe's normal matter is helium-4.
The consistency between predicted and observed helium abundance is strong evidence for the Big Bang.
Nucleosynthesis
Nucleosynthesis refers to the process of forming new atomic nuclei from pre-existing protons and neutrons. In the context of the Big Bang:
  • Big Bang nucleosynthesis occurred within the first few minutes of the universe's existence.
  • This process produced the lightest elements, primarily hydrogen and helium.
  • Other elements, like deuterium (a form of hydrogen) and some isotopes of lithium and beryllium, were also formed.
  • Stellar nucleosynthesis takes place in stars and produces heavier elements like carbon, oxygen, and iron.
Nucleosynthesis in the early universe set the stage for the formation of all elements that make up matter today.
Early universe
The early universe was a vastly different place compared to today. Here's a short journey through its early stages:
  • The universe began as an extremely hot and dense point about 13.8 billion years ago.
  • In a fraction of a second, it underwent rapid expansion, an event known as inflation.
  • As it expanded, it cooled, allowing particles to form.
  • At about one second old, protons, neutrons, and electrons were formed.
  • After roughly 380,000 years, it cooled enough for atoms to form, making the universe transparent and releasing the CMB.
Understanding these early stages helps us connect the Big Bang with the observable universe we see today.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

For more details on the history of the discovery of the expanding universe, go to the American Institute of Physics' "Cosmic Journey: A History of Scientific cosmology" website (wwwaip.org/history/cosmology/). Read through the sections titled "Island Universes," "The Expanding Universe," and "Big Bang or Steady State?" Why was Albert Einstein "irritated" by the idea of an expanding universe? What was the contribution of Belgian astrophysicist (and Catholic priest) Georges Lemaitre? What is the steady-state theory, and what was the main piece of evidence against it?

The simplest way to estimate the age of the universe is from a. using the slope of Hubble's law. b. the age of Moon rocks. c. models of stellar evolution. d. measurements of the abundances of elements.

You observe a distant quasar in which a spectral line of hydrogen with rest wavelength \(\lambda_{\text {rest }}=121.6 \mathrm{nm}\) is found at a wavelength of \(547.2 \mathrm{nm}\). What is its redshift? When the light from this quasar was emitted, how large was the universe compared to its current size?

What do astronomers mean when they say that the universe is homogeneous? a. The universe looks exactly the same from every perspective. b. Galaxies are generally distributed evenly throughout the universe. c. All stars in all galaxies have planetary systems just like ours. d. The universe has looked the same at all times in its history.

To get a feeling for the emptiness of the universe, compare its density \(\left(4 \times 10^{-28} \mathrm{kg} / \mathrm{m}^{3}\right)\) with that of Earth's atmosphere at sea level \(\left(1.2 \mathrm{kg} / \mathrm{m}^{3}\right) .\) How much denser is Earth's atmosphere? Write this ratio using standard notation.
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