Structure and Fate of the Universe

Penzias & Wilson

Technicians for Bell Laboratories Couldnt get rid of hiss (interference) in Bells new, expensive dish antenna. Hiss turned out to be microwave radiation interference. Energy remnant of the Big Bang!

How do they know these are The BIG BANG microwaves?

They FILL the universe -- come toward Earth from all directions. Means it is not being generated by a point source.
You can turn away from a point source light..
Penzias and Wilson couldnt get away from the microwaves interfering with their antenna

300 million years: Gravitational attraction between bits of matter causes clumping of matter. First stars form (very dense clumps of matter).
Q. What matter makes up the stars? What element(s)?

The Singularity Expands

Stars clump into Galaxies. Galaxies clumped into Superclusters.

9 billion years after Big Bang

The Singularity Expands

which is 5 billion years ago from today:

Our sun forms. Planets in our solar system forming too. Remember the History of Life Timeline? Q. How old is the Earth? Answer: ~4.6 billion years old.

What does the Universe LOOK like?

 Matter clumped into galaxies Galaxies clustered into super-clusters Super-clusters connected by strings of matter. with Voids in-between

No Center No Edge

What is the overall shape?

If density of matter in universe is high = spherical

If density of matter in universe is low = saddle shaped

If density of matter in universe is moderate = flat sheet

Fate of the Universe determined by the amount of total matter in the universe
It is a competition between the force of gravity and the force of expansion.

Gravity
Strength of gravitys pull based on distance between objects and size. Gravitys pull is also based on velocity of moving objects.
Gravitational pull has slowed down the rate of expansion
Recall - the distance between objects in universe is expanding as space stretches. Gravitys effect is reducing.

To know fate of universe, must know: rate of expansion and how much matter there must be to counteract that rate. how much matter there IS.

 We know rate of expansion So can calculate exactly how much matter there must be to counteract expansion and remain in equilibrium.

critical mass
Fate of the Universe depends on the ratio between amount of matter actually IN the universe vs critical mass needed to counteract expansion.

Omega
(Actual matter/Critical mass)

Compare actual average mass density of the universe to critical mass

If Omega = 1 (amt of matter = critical mass)
Equilibrium

If Omega > 1 (amt of matter > critical mass)

Gravity wins The Big Crunch

If Omega < 1 (amt of matter < critical mass)

Expansion wins The Big Chill

SO, how much mass is there in the universe??

Amount of visible matter is less than 10% critical mass . suggests big chill Dark matter brings us closer 90% of all matter is dark matter. suggests big crunch But Wait . New discovery throws us into disarray!

Dark Energy discovered!

When density of matter is low enough, Dark Energy acts like an anti-gravity. So universe expansion might speed up as density decreases . New possibility: The Big Rip!

The Big Rip

Superclusters get pulled apart Galaxies get pulled apart Stars get pulled apart Atoms get pulled apart