The Big Bang

Front

What is the commonly accepted age of the universe according to Big Bang theorists?

Back

13.8 billion years ago.

Front

What happens to the light from a galaxy that is moving away from us?

Back

The light appears more red.

Front

What does a red shift in distant galaxies indicate about the universe?

Back

The universe is expanding.

Front

What is the term for the effect that causes light to spread out when the source is moving away?

Back

Red shift.

Front

What fundamental question does the Big Bang Theory aim to explain?

Back

How our universe began.

Front

What is the Big Bang Theory?

Back

A scientific explanation of how the universe began from a singular point and has been expanding ever since.

Front

What is cosmic microwave background radiation?

Back

The afterglow radiation from the Big Bang, filling the universe and providing evidence for the theory.

Front

What is the significance of the red shift in astronomy?

Back

It provides evidence for the expansion of the universe and supports the Big Bang Theory.

Front

What is the Doppler effect?

Back

The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.

Front

What does the term 'expansion of the universe' refer to?

Back

The observation that galaxies are moving away from each other, indicating that the universe is growing larger.