The Universe — Supplement Learning Objectives
Summary
- Know that microwave radiation of a specific frequency is observed at all points in space around us and is known as cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR)
- Explain that the CMBR was produced shortly after the Universe was formed and that this radiation has been expanded into the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum as the Universe expanded
- Know that the speed v at which a galaxy is moving away from the Earth can be found from the change in wavelength of the galaxy's starlight due to redshift
- Know that the distance d of a far galaxy can be determined using the brightness of a supernova in that galaxy
- Define the Hubble constant H0 as the ratio of the speed at which the galaxy is moving away from the Earth to its distance from the Earth; recall and use the equation H0 = v/d
- Know that the current estimate for H0 is 2.2 x 10^-18 per second
- Know that the equation d/v = 1/H0 represents an estimate for the age of the Universe and that this is evidence for the idea that all the matter in the Universe was present at a single point
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