Physics- Quiz 1, Our View of the Universe
Gravitational constant
6.67E-11 N*m²/kg²
Georges Lemaitre
A Belgian priest that first suggested the Big Bang theory in the 1920s when he theorized that the universe began from a single primordial atom (Theory of the Primordial Egg- later known as Hubble's Law).
Doppler effect
A change in wave frequency caused by motion of the sound source, motion of the listener, or both.
Edwin Hubble (1889-1953)
A scientist who discovered galaxies beyond the Milky Way and measured their distances through brightness; observed that the light from these galaxies is red shifted. Galaxies are all moving away from each other at differing speeds. Hubble's Law (1929)- H=v/d
Electromagnetic spectrum
All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, where shorter wavelengths denote higher energy. Light behaves as both a particle and a wave.
How can the universe end?
Big Crunch- gravitational forces pull everything back Big Freeze- everything loses energy over time until it all dissipates Big Rip- everything will be separated via inflation
Galileo and Kepler (1600s)
Both men found that planets typically orbit elliptically. They also pioneered research of galaxies. Galileo was excommunicated from the Church for his studies and sentenced to house imprisonment.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Claimed Newtonian physics did not reconcile with established laws of electromagnetism. Developed the General Theory of Relativity in 1916, which led to the development of quantum theory.
Copernicus' Universe (1500 AD)
Copernicus, though he faced severe backlash from the Catholic church, correctly claimed that the universe is heliocentric.
Sir Isaac Newton
Defined the laws of motion and universal gravitation and used them to predict the motion of stars and planets around the sun. His Law of Universal Gravitation confirmed Kepler's laws for planetary motion. He also developed the Static Universe Model.
Worldview in 1700 BCE
Earth is upheld by a series of columns surrounded by sheol. Above the Earth is the dome of the sky (firmaments and floodgates); below is the abyss.
Principia Mathematica
Isaac Newton's 1687 seminal work filled with contributions to many areas of science, and included the three well-known laws of motion.
Microwave background radiation (1964)
New radio telescopes in Princeton found ubiquitous microwave noise , which determined that the universe is ~13.7 billion years old.
Ptolemic Worldview (150 AD)
Ptolemy asserted that the universe is geocentric, with Mercury and Venus separating the Earth from the Sun.
Goldilocks enigma
Random chance Anthropic principle (AP) - Weak AP means the universe must support our presence - Strong AP means that there is an intentionality in the universe's creation (higher power) Multiverse hypothesis- temporal or simultaneous universe
What are the four fundamental forces (constants)?
Strong nuclear- holds subatomic particles together Weak nuclear- causes radioactive decay Gravitational Electromagnetic- combines electricity and magnetism
H in Hubble's Law
The expansion rate of the universe
Oldest galaxy
UDFy 38135539 (discovered in 2011), about 13.07 billion light years away (birthed 600MY after the Bang.)
