Table of Contents
- 1 What is inflation in astrophysics?
- 2 What does the theory of inflation explain?
- 3 Why is the eternal inflation theory wrong?
- 4 What evidence supported the inflation theory?
- 5 How does inflation theory solve the flatness problem?
- 6 Why is inflation bad?
- 7 How does inflationary theory resolve the flatness problem quizlet?
- 8 What is the flatness problem in astronomy?
What is inflation in astrophysics?
In 1980, to explain the conditions observed in the universe, astrophysicist Alan Guth proposed cosmic inflation. The term inflation refers to the explosively rapid expansion of space-time that occurred a tiny fraction of a second after the Big Bang.
What does the theory of inflation explain?
The Inflation Theory proposes a period of extremely rapid (exponential) expansion of the universe during its first few moments. It was developed around 1980 to explain several puzzles with the standard Big Bang theory, in which the universe expands relatively gradually throughout its history.
Why is the eternal inflation theory wrong?
Hawking and Hertog are now saying that the eternal inflation model is wrong. This is because Einstein’s theory of general relativity breaks down on quantum scales. “However, the dynamics of eternal inflation wipes out the separation between classical and quantum physics.
What happened during inflation of the universe?
In physical cosmology, cosmic inflation, cosmological inflation, or just inflation, is a theory of exponential expansion of space in the early universe. Following the inflationary period, the universe continued to expand, but at a slower rate.
How does the inflation theory solve the horizon problem?
The inflation theory predicts that the ultra-fast inflation would have expanded away any large-scale curvature of the part of the universe we can detect. The horizon problem is solved by inflation because regions that appear to be isolated from each other were in contact with each other before the inflation period.
What evidence supported the inflation theory?
And observational tests of the Big Bang all have supported the theory. In 1992, the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite discovered temperature fluctuations in the CMB, further evidence of the Big Bang.
How does inflation theory solve the flatness problem?
The flatness problem is solved by inflation as well. During inflation, the curvature of the universe neared flatness in the same way as inflating a balloon flattens out regions on its surface. Put another way, the universe might have actually been curved right as it was created.
Why is inflation bad?
For most Americans, inflation rears its head in the rising costs of food, gas, housing, and other living expenses. For the wealthy and affluent, inflation brings the threat of higher interest rates, which increases the cost of borrowing and can put pressure on asset values.
What problems does cosmic inflation solve?
This helps to solve the horizon problem. The flatness problem is solved by inflation as well. During inflation, the curvature of the universe neared flatness in the same way as inflating a balloon flattens out regions on its surface. Put another way, the universe might have actually been curved right as it was created.
What are the significant assumptions of the inflation theory?
The most significant assumption is that very shortly after the Big Bang, the universe expanded very rapidly for a short period of time. Much faster than normal expansion due to Big Bang. It was an exponential expansion and occurred around 10−32 seconds after Big Bang and lasted for tiny fraction of second.
How does inflationary theory resolve the flatness problem quizlet?
How does inflationary theory resolve the flatness problem? Such rapid inflation would have forced the curvature of the universe to be nearly zero. The universe could have been small enough for all parts to be in thermal contact.
What is the flatness problem in astronomy?
The flatness problem (also known as the oldness problem) is a cosmological fine-tuning problem within the Big Bang model of the universe. This value affects the curvature of space-time, with a very specific critical value being required for a flat universe.