This is something that I have been pondering for some time. If the universe is everything, how can it be expanding? What does it have to expand into? And how can anything just go on forever?
2006-06-27 19:48:30 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
the question is, what is there to block the universe from expanding? The theory of going out one end and coming out on the other would break any and all laws of physics and space that we hold today, which, is a possibility, but not a likely one. Also, the concept of infinity doesnt need to follow regular laws of mathematics, because infinity is not a number as some poeple have been treating it here. Infinity is a concept, where infinity means increasing by an infinite amount, as in, ongoing and never ending...it is a concept, not a number. So, how can the universe go on forever? it may not be able to, but with our current laws of physics, unless there is soemthing with an equal or greater power to stop the space matter and such that is expanding in light years, then the universe will never stop expanding. Before the "big bang THEORY", (again, theory, not law as someone was using it to make their point) thee must have been some type of area occupying what our current universe is eating up, since again, by our current laws, you cannot make something out of nothing, so, my thought would be that the universe will expand as far as the previous area which it is expanding into, because it cannot expand to make something our of nothing at all, or so our current laws say...
2006-06-27 20:45:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, we don't know if the universe will go on forever. But we do know for a fact that it is expanding. The reason we know is based on two observations:
(1) Every galaxy that we can see in the sky (except a few close neighbors) are receding away from us, and the further away they are, the faster they are moving away.
(2) Everywhere we look in the sky, we see a "cosmic background radiation". It's temperature is very low, 2.7 degrees kelvin. But this tells us that there was one hell of an explosion at some point in the distant past.
So what does the universe expand into? The answer is that it doesn't expand into anything. Imagine that the universe is the surface of a sphere, like the surface of a balloon. If the balloon is blown up bigger continuously (without exploding of course), you'll see that the surface of the balloon is expanding and if there were dots drawn on the surface, all the dots would be moving away from every other dot. Our universe is like the surface of an ever expanding balloon.
Well, where is this expanding balloon that is our universe, you may ask? Isn't it inside something? The answer is that it is possible, but we would then need to ask where is that container of our universe. Isn't there another container? So you see your line of questioning doesn't really lead you anywhere. The most likely answer is that there is no container holding the universe, and that there is nothing outside of it (Actually, it is meaningless to ask such questions because we are defining all that exists to be within the universe anyway).
Also, how can anything go on forever? Well, our universe is currently 14 billion years old. That's not forever. And even if it keeps going for another googelplex years (that's 10^(10^100)) years, which is a very very long time, but that is still not forever. So it is possible that there is NO such thing as forever, and we human just can't imagine anything being around that long.
2006-06-27 21:48:42 · answer #2 · answered by PhysicsDude 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What a wonderful question. I love universe expanding - mind blowing questions. Isn't it interesting that earth has a place in the Milky Way galaxy to observe this phenomenon. Do we really understand what a black hole is? Does it have to do with this?
Personally, I believe the Bible is true stating that "Heaven and earth will pass away." and time will be no more at some point in time. However, God's realm who made it all will not pass away, neither will His Word. God is Love and Light.
2006-06-27 19:58:20 · answer #3 · answered by Cordelia 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To truly understand infinity is to go nuts. All things must have a limit to comprehand, otherwise there would be so much to udnerstand you'd never get to the end of it. Yes, the universe can go on forever, just not the way you, or I can really understand right now. (Especially if you are holding a bible in your hands, no offence).
For now, just understand that you, me, and everything, are made up of mostly nothing.
2006-06-27 20:04:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am the same way. I think great thoughts too, but you are really just going to have to ask god one day. Maybe it really doesnt go on forever. Maybe we are just 1 world sitting in the palm of gods hand just like one of those round globes with the water in them. You know the ones you shake up and watch. lol. The world is small compared to the god that created it. He could even have several independant worlds. Who knows. All I know is what I see. Human beings just arent able to comprehend those type of things. You see...everything us humans know has a begining and an end to it. We can not fathom something such as eternal life or an entire universe with no end.
2006-06-27 20:01:55 · answer #5 · answered by lad1177 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It doesn't. According to some theory which I cannot remember right now, eventually you would pop up at the other end , somewhat like the game meteor storm or something like that (where you shoot meteors) and your spaceship appears on the right side as soon as you go all the way to the left and go past the screen.
2006-06-27 19:53:11 · answer #6 · answered by vincenzi 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
the universe is not infinite. infinity is only a concept and it is not proven to be true.infinity leads to contradictions like what is infinity minus infinity? or what is infinity minus 1? if the universe is infinite, how did we get to this cetain point in time? the universe has a beginning and big bang cosmology supports that. have a nice day
2006-06-27 19:57:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
hm
u should find some real answers
here
our univers will go on forver, it wil colapse back and disapear
remember 15 bilion years or 150 bilion is not closer to infinity
then 78 years humans live,
2006-07-04 10:10:45 · answer #8 · answered by NeO Anderson 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because our minds are trapped in this lil contraption of time and matter, don't let it confine your thoughts and essence.
Go ahead and think about it fore a lil bit. It won't hurt. I promise.
2006-06-27 19:56:07 · answer #9 · answered by Rick A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Question is as impossible to aswer as how did the first atom begin.
2006-06-27 19:56:18 · answer #10 · answered by Brandon U 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋