Bill
08-01-03, 02:48 PM
We all have heard that the universe is expanding, but what does that mean? Most people look at the concept of the big bang and compare the expanding universe to an explosion. Where matter is moving outward away from a starting point. This is not entirely accurate.
Galaxies are not moving away from each other through space, but rather space between the galaxies is expanding. This concept is known as inflation.
Space is not expanding uniformly. Mass inhibits the expansion of space. Matter at the atomic level is composed of mostly space. So matter in and of itself is expanding. Matter resists this expansion, and creates a dimple or depression in the expansion of space around it. When two bits of matter with their own dimples in space are near each other, the space between them does not expand as readily. This giving the impression that the matter is pulling together, when really it’s just that the space between the matter is not expanding relative to objects expansion. The two bits of matter now have a combined dimpling affect on space. This is the concept of gravity. When enough matter is present in a small amount of space, the combined resistance would ultimately stop space from expanding and time would stand still. This is what happens at or near the singularity of a black hole.
What we perceive as time, is the result of this expansion. Time is not a constant, but rather our perception of this space-expanding dimension.
Energy has little or no mass thus it is able to move freely with space. Light particles have some mass, which are affected by gravity. Space that contains no mass or energy of any kind (this condition would only be found at the outer edge of the universe) would not be inhibited from expanding infinitely and instantaneously.
Still we are left with questions.
What force drives space expansion?
What inner workings of mass resist expansion?
Is the expansion of space a result of the big bang, or was it always expanding and the big bang was just the introduction of matter?
expanding (http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/Cosmos/ExpandUni.html) inflation (http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/origins/inflation/index.shtml)
Galaxies are not moving away from each other through space, but rather space between the galaxies is expanding. This concept is known as inflation.
Space is not expanding uniformly. Mass inhibits the expansion of space. Matter at the atomic level is composed of mostly space. So matter in and of itself is expanding. Matter resists this expansion, and creates a dimple or depression in the expansion of space around it. When two bits of matter with their own dimples in space are near each other, the space between them does not expand as readily. This giving the impression that the matter is pulling together, when really it’s just that the space between the matter is not expanding relative to objects expansion. The two bits of matter now have a combined dimpling affect on space. This is the concept of gravity. When enough matter is present in a small amount of space, the combined resistance would ultimately stop space from expanding and time would stand still. This is what happens at or near the singularity of a black hole.
What we perceive as time, is the result of this expansion. Time is not a constant, but rather our perception of this space-expanding dimension.
Energy has little or no mass thus it is able to move freely with space. Light particles have some mass, which are affected by gravity. Space that contains no mass or energy of any kind (this condition would only be found at the outer edge of the universe) would not be inhibited from expanding infinitely and instantaneously.
Still we are left with questions.
What force drives space expansion?
What inner workings of mass resist expansion?
Is the expansion of space a result of the big bang, or was it always expanding and the big bang was just the introduction of matter?
expanding (http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/Cosmos/ExpandUni.html) inflation (http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/origins/inflation/index.shtml)