Daily Universe Fact: What is the fate of our Universe? There are 4 potential fates that depend on the average density of the universe and the future behavior of dark energy: 1. Big Crunch - All matter and energy collapses on itself. This is the least likely due to dark energy. 2. Big Chill - If our universe has a mass-energy density close to or just less than the critical value, the universe will continue to expand at a rate that slowly decreases but never comes to a halt. Over a long period of time, we will suffer a cold death. 3. Modified Big Chill - If dark energy continues to act upon as as it does today, the universe will expand at an increasing rate and structures not bound by gravity will ultimately fly apart at speeds faster than the speed of light. Again, we will suffer a cold death. 4. Big Rip - If the strength of dark energy increased, it could overcome all fundamental forces and disintegrate the universe in a big rip. First galaxies would be torn apart, then solar systems, followed by stars and planets exploding, and finally atoms. Time would then stop. physast.uga.edu/~rls/1020/ch22/22-17.jpg oswego.edu/~kanbur/a100/images/fate_universe.jpg
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 08:41:17 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015