16 A Brief Overview of the Big Bang Theory of the Universe
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theory predicted that distant galaxies are older, a claim which was supported
by astronomical discoveries in 1948. Also, steady state theory predicted that
there should be equal number of radio sources both far as well as close to our
own galaxy. This prediction disagreed with observations by Martin Ryle in
1954, who concluded this using of radio telescopes after the World War II.
In fact Ryle’s observations were bitterly criticized by Fred Hoyle, saying that
Martin Ryle was more interested in destroying the steady state theory than
discovering facts. In fact, Barbara Gamow, wife of George Gamow, a believer
in the Big Bang theory, wrote a poem to reflect this dispute, a part of which
goes as follows:
“Your years of toil,”
Said Ryle to Hoyle,
“Are wasted years, believe me.
The steady state
Is out of date.
Unless my eyes deceive me.”
16.2 Big Bang Theory Wins
Then came the discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation
(explained later) by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson in 1964, which agreed
with the predictions of the Big Bang theory and required the steady state
model to make further assumptions to explain that observation. A big boost
in favor of the Big Bang theory came when Ralph Alpher, a student at George
Washington University, Robert Herman, an employee at the Johns Hopkins
Applied Laboratory, and George Gamow, a Professor at George Washington
University, calculated the relative abundance of helium to hydrogen in the
universe using the Big Bang expansion model and laws of nuclear physics, and
got a result in rough agreement with observations.
The battle between the steady state and Big Bang theory is not a matter
of dispute anymore, and after many observations involving the cosmos, the
winner has turned out to be the Big Bang theory. This theory is now widely
accepted by the cosmology community as the theory of the universe.
According to the Big Bang theory, the universe started expanding and
cooling at a rate depending on the particles it contains [67]. The expansion rate
is slowing down. Expansion is characterized by the property of a mathematical
quantity, known as the scale factor (a(t)). The scale factor roughly measures
the size of the universe. As the universe expands, the scale factor increases
125
theory predicted that distant galaxies are older, a claim which was supported
by astronomical discoveries in 1948. Also, steady state theory predicted that
there should be equal number of radio sources both far as well as close to our
own galaxy. This prediction disagreed with observations by Martin Ryle in
1954, who concluded this using of radio telescopes after the World War II.
In fact Ryle’s observations were bitterly criticized by Fred Hoyle, saying that
Martin Ryle was more interested in destroying the steady state theory than
discovering facts. In fact, Barbara Gamow, wife of George Gamow, a believer
in the Big Bang theory, wrote a poem to reflect this dispute, a part of which
goes as follows:
“Your years of toil,”
Said Ryle to Hoyle,
“Are wasted years, believe me.
The steady state
Is out of date.
Unless my eyes deceive me.”
16.2 Big Bang Theory Wins
Then came the discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation
(explained later) by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson in 1964, which agreed
with the predictions of the Big Bang theory and required the steady state
model to make further assumptions to explain that observation. A big boost
in favor of the Big Bang theory came when Ralph Alpher, a student at George
Washington University, Robert Herman, an employee at the Johns Hopkins
Applied Laboratory, and George Gamow, a Professor at George Washington
University, calculated the relative abundance of helium to hydrogen in the
universe using the Big Bang expansion model and laws of nuclear physics, and
got a result in rough agreement with observations.
The battle between the steady state and Big Bang theory is not a matter
of dispute anymore, and after many observations involving the cosmos, the
winner has turned out to be the Big Bang theory. This theory is now widely
accepted by the cosmology community as the theory of the universe.
According to the Big Bang theory, the universe started expanding and
cooling at a rate depending on the particles it contains [67]. The expansion rate
is slowing down. Expansion is characterized by the property of a mathematical
quantity, known as the scale factor (a(t)). The scale factor roughly measures
the size of the universe. As the universe expands, the scale factor increases