if the rate of expansion of the universe is increaseing what is "powering" that increas of expansion ?

Question

and dose that effect every thing within it like...light ?

Answer 1

Momentum

Answer 2

Amazed to see so many people saying that the rate of expansion is constant or even slowing down! I think before they try to help other people out they'd better go read some books, look online and see whats going on first of all.

The rate of expansion is increasing in that objects seem at the far ends of the observable universe do seem to be speeding up in their path away from us. The expansion wouldnt effect light because light is energy and not part of spacetime.

It implies that there never will be a contraction to a single point or time reversal of the Big Bang and that the universe will just get further and further apart until there can be no stars or planets or anything. A trillion years now it would just be cold dust in a vast void. Why powers the increase in expansion is - in a word - unknown. Gravity would seem to have the opposite effect. Dark energy is a hypothetical substance with some posited antigravitational effects. I'd try searching terms like dark matter and dark energy to whet your appetite but you wont get a definitive answer because we just dont have one yet.

Answer 3

The expansion of the universe appears to be accelerating. This can be explained by a non-zero 'cosmological constant'. Here's the history.

When Einstein originally formulated his theory of gravity, he found that it required a universe that either expanded or contracted. To avoid this, he added an additional term to his equation involving a new constant, the cosmological constant. Essentially, it represents an energy density of the vacuum itself. Well, when it was found that the real universe does, in fact, expand, this constant was essentially ignored for several decades.

Then, through studies of supernovae, it was found that the expansion is actually accelerating. This can be most easily explained by re-introducing the cosmological constant, but having it be a different size than what Einstein thought it would be. One of the unusual things about the constant is that the pressure that it represents is actually negative: it tends to make things expand faster. But both energy density and pressure density are unaffected by expansion--they stay constant. Some theories allow a non-constant term when the cosmological constant is. These theories call that term 'quintessence'.

We do not know what, if anything, the cosmological constant is 'made of'. It may simply be a property of space itself or it may be a new, and rather unusual, substance. At this point we simply don't know but there are several experiments in planning stages to find out.

I should point out that there are some people that think the accelerating expansion is an illusion caused by differing rates of expansion in different parts of the universe. This would be caused by the 'lumpiness' of the universe: it isn't homogeneous or isotropic. This is still VERY speculative, though. The math is difficult to work through in this model.

Yes, light and everything else are dragged along with the expansion of space, just like they are without the cosmological constant.

Added: Yes, the expansion is accelerating. This is a fairly recent discovery and was quite surprising. Also, according to the most recent data, about 73% of the energy of the universe is in the form of this dark energy.

Answer 4

The Big Bang theory states that there is a continual expansion following the original "bang" and the velocity of matter moving away from the explosion increases with momentum.
The expansion is a movement rather than an increase in matter. The laws of physics remain the same in this theory so natural phenomena remain unchanged. Light just has to travel further to reach points which were previously closer.
Momentum powers the expansion. Some claim this expansion will result in solar systems moving so far apart in the future that the night sky will have very few visible stars.

Answer 5

The early universe likely went through a period of rapid expansion called inflation, probably caused by energy inherent to the universe itself (called vacuum energy). This lasted less than a billion years.

Then the rate of expansion was relatively steady. This expansion is simply the result of the big bang. Scientist thought that this rate would slowly decrease over time. If there was enough matter, then the rate would go down to 0 and eventually reverse itself (a "closed" universe). If not enough matter, then the rate would slow down but never get all the way down to zero: expansion would continue forever (an "open" universe).

While looking for clues to determine which scenario applied, scientist found, instead, clues that the rate of expansion has started to increase about 4 billion years ago. Unsure yet of its nature, they call the energy responsible for this acceleration the "dark energy" (not the same as "dark matter" which is another problem).

Answer 6

Like Mathemati's answer,,, Energy density of the vacuum is a good one as is negative pressure of the constant.
As for contance are we talking Hoyle and steady state?
Insofar as I know we don't know why it has suddenly in relative terms began accelerating again. However as mass coalesces from energy to change into heavier elements thus exerting more gravity and if most mass is on the outer margins and if at some point a critical point was reached.....?
I think we have reached the point in physics were the old myth of the omnipresent 'ether' has been more or less cleared up.There is a connecting web that permeates all space, to the point where the particles have instant com's What happens on the edge is known in the centre instantly when we figure that out I would not be surprised if it's related to acceleration.

Answer 7

You are right that recent astronomical observation shows that the rate of expansion of the universe is - very unexpectedly - increasing. Why this is happening is currently completely unknown - the term dark energy is used to describe the force behind it. I think there is a Nobel prize in it if you can figure it out.

Answer 8

according to a new theory there is a new force called 'repulsive' gravity which continuosly pushes celestial bodies from one another.it is this powers the expansion of the universe.but some scientists are of the view that the initial explosion that took place at the big bang powers the expansion ,which is being steadily decreased by the force of ordinary gravity

Answer 9

Hi >
Goodly answers I see. However I must differ from "mathemati"
The whole show is expanding, sure, but that rate of expansion is not accelerating - it is gradually slowing down, as interactive gravitational forces "put the brakes on"
In billions of years to come, the whole job will become static, then start collapsing back to one point, where the thing all starts again.
With a bang.
One theory suggests that time itself will therefore run backwards.
The "time arrow" will still seem to point forwards, but you get to re-live your life backwards.
That should be fun, I shall be re-typing this "before" I had your question.
All the best,
Bob.

Answer 10

Based on recent measurements it appears that the rate of expansion for the universe is accelerating with time. We don't understand why but attribute it to something that we call "dark energy". Try this article. There's no explanation for what it might be but it describes the characteristics of it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_energy

Answer 11

the universe space is increasing, not the speed of the expansion of the universe, its expandion at the rate of speed of light, its increasing due to the explosion caused by the big bang and the planets and stars are still being blown away