does the universe expand forever, or will it eventually run out of room?

Question

this has been a question i've wandered about for many years

Answer 1

We aren't sure. The universe by definition is infinite so it can't run out of room. There are a few possible fates of the universe that are possible. If there is enough mass in the universe, gravity with slow the expansion down and the universe will contract into a Big Crunch that will result in a new Big Bang. If there is not enough mass, the universe will continue expanding until all the the suns run out of fuel and the universe becomes cold and lifeless. This is called the Big Freeze. Neither of these are particularly attractive sounding but I try not to let it bother me.

Answer 2

In my opinion, no. The universe will stop expanding... if the theory of the big bang is true, which I believe.

Compare the following. 1) A child is throwing a ball up into the air. The child throws the ball only as high as the childs strength allows and then the ball falls back to the child because of gravity. 2) Big Bang! All matter is thrown and scattered outward creating the universe (which is still expanding). The force of that "bang" should eventually weaken and stop due to the fact that all matter has a gravitational force which is pulling on all other matter in the universe. Gravity is a weak force but is transmitted over great distances (kind of like short wave radio). Eventually all the matter in the universe (including dark matter) will pull itself back together again creating a "big crunch".

We don't know for sure how strong the explosion of the big bang was. If we knew that we could estimate when the universe was created and when it would end.

And yes the universe will run out of room when it stops expanding and starts contracting in size.

Answer 3

Well, the Second Law of Thermodynamics suggests that the universe is expanding (although that may be something of a meaningless concept in real terms). It also suggests that at some point it will collapse back on itself under its own gravity, a la the "Big Crunch" Theory. There's no "room" for the universe to run out of, unless you can conceptualize a model in dimensions beyond the 3rd. Theoretically, you are looking "backwards" in time as you look out into the universe in any given direction, not to mention the fact that physics suggests that there may be multiple universes (quantum theory's a good place to start if you feel like cosmological inquiry).

if you haven't already read it, try Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time", which does a good job of summarizing (meta)physics and theories of the universe, without using too many complicated explanations or mathematical equations. In fact, i think E=mc2 is the only equation used in the book.

it probably helps to have a basic knowledge of physics and algebra when you read on the subject, and some books are not for the layperson.

Answer 4

It is widely accepted that space is infinite, and that the universe is a certain amount of matter and everything else expanding in every direction. Whether the universe will keep on expanding forever or eventually collapse in on itself is a mystery, but it seems that there is no possible way for the universe to run out of room.

Answer 5

THe universe will never run out of room but eventually the universe will stop expanding and make a Big Crush and a Big Bang again for the 24th-25th time.

Answer 6

No. The universe can't run out of room...technically. Though it does depend a bit on what exactly the 'universe' is expanding in.... If the universe is all that there is, then it it simply creating new 'space' to expand into. If there is 'space' already there...it depends on how big that space is....

Answer 7

The astrophysicist's of the world are trying figure it out at this time. The current thoughts are that it may continue forever, stop at a place in the universe or reverse it's direction. If the latter occurs, we will all be goners.

Answer 8

Our Universe will continue to expand until the gravatational forces within our Universe cause it to stop expanding.

Answer 9

There is too much time between now, and what ever fate awaits the Universe. Hopefully, if intelligent life can survive long enough, a number of ways to circumvent either the "Heat Death", or "Big Crunch", will have been found out. :)

Answer 10

Universe is expanding due to movement of all galaxy far away. If all galaxies are bounded by gravitational pull. and when all burning star will die. Then, universe will not expand.