Question 1
What is cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, and how does it provide evidence for the Big Bang? What are three important characteristics of CMB radiation? Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs.
Question 2
List and briefly describe three issues/problems with the standard Big Bang Theory that the Inflation Theory helps explain. Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs.
Question 3
What are some things we currently know about dark matter? What don’t we know about dark matter, and why is this information so elusive? Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs.
Question 4
Explain how the abundances of light elements in the universe provide evidence for the Big Bang. Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph.
Question 5
According to the lesson materials, what did Georges Lemaitre contribute to the development of the Big Bang Theory? Why were his contributions important? Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs.
Question 6
Describe some of the most significant events that occurred in the 3-4 minutes after the Big Bang, according to scientific evidence. Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph.
Question 7
In your own words, describe (a) what cosmology is and (b) what the Cosmological Principle is. Why is the study of cosmology important? What is the significance of the Cosmological Principle? Answer in 1-2 paragraphs.
Question 8
In 1998, scientists discovered that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. Why was this such a major discovery? What are the implications of this discovery? Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs.
Question 9
What is the Hubble Constant, and what is its significance? What is the current estimate of the Hubble Constant? Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph.
Question 10
Prior to the 1920s, what did scientists believe about the origins and evolution of the universe? What discovery in the 1920s and 1930s started to (slowly) change this point of view? Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph.
Question 11
There are three competing models for the fate of the universe: the Big Freeze (aka Heat Death), the Big Crunch, and the Big Rip. Compare and contrast the Big Freeze and the Big Crunch. What are the similarities and differences between these models? Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs.