Review and analyze the theory below about the origin of the universe.
Describe the strengths and weaknesses of this theory based on what you read
and what you know about the universe.
Big Bang Theory
William Hubble is most often credited with developing the Big Bang theory.
But a Belgium priest, Georges Lemaitre, first proposed the universe began
from an explosion of a single particle in 1927. William Hubble was able to
prove from observing the red shift of galaxies that all the galaxies were
moving away from us or that the universe was expanding.
Scientist who support the Big Bang Theory assert that the universe began
from an explosion of a single particle and that after the explosion the
universe had to cool down before matter could condense to form the stars
and galaxies. The force of the explosion sent matter speeding away in all
directions. As the universe expands, matter in the universe is spread thinner
and thinner or the density of the universe is decreasing.
If the universe began from an explosion, it was surmised that there should be
remnants of this explosion spread through out the universe. When
background radiation was discovered in 1964, many scientists asserted that
these were the remnants of the explosion scientists had hoped to find. More
scientists began to support the Big Bang Theory when this was found.
Central to proving the Big Bang Theory is proving the age of the universe. If
there were a Big Bang, then it would follow that the universe had a definite
beginning and is finite, meaning it will also have an ending. Much effort has
gone into determining the age of the universe. The Big Bang Theorists
believe the universe is 15 billion years old. Big Bang Theorists have used
the distance of stars to construct a mathematical formula for the age of the
universe.
The Big Bang Theory is the most widely accepted theory of the origin of the
universe. We will never be able to prove this theory beyond reasonable
doubt so there will always be many unanswered questions.