·Will the Universe expand forever or recollapse?

Answer 1

There has been quite firm evidence recently that the universe is expanding faster than ever. After 14 billion years, this seem to indicate that it will continue to do so forever. There is no 100% proof in science, but this is definitely the prevailing theory.

The big crunch is out of favor at the moment.

Answer 2

There are theories for both but according to my own theory...

My Own Theory: Everything began from nothing (I believe this because nothing cannot be created) and somehow (though I still am confused on how) created a speck that was similar to an atom and held what is now all the energy in the universe and that this energy combusted (the Big Bang) and that then evolution continued what is now called time.

...the universe will continue to expand in a great space of nothing. Now if I believed in the Sphere theory (Sphere theory: the universe is a sphere containing numerous spheres known to us as galaxies) then I would say that it will recollapse. But I believe that the universe is a cycle that recycles. Similar to the law of energy (that there is a certain amount of it and that it cannot be destroyed, only transformed and changed) I believe that there is a certain amount of life in the universe and that it cannot be destroyed... This leads me to believe that the universe is indestructible so it cannot be possible for it to recollapse...

Therefore it will expand forever....

Answer 3

First consider the analogy of a projectile being fired directly up from the surface of the Earth. If the projectile is fired at velocity lower than the earths escape velocity, gravity would soon pull it back to earth. If the projectile is fired at a velocity higher than the Earths escape velocity, the effect of gravity would decreaces with the increaced distance from the earth quicker than the projectiles velocity decreaces, and it would carry on forever.

Similarly, if the initial rate of expansion of the universe was high enough to continuously outrun the gravity between all the matter in the universe it will continue to expand forever. Otherwise it will eventually collapse.

Unfortunatly, the total mass of the universe and its initial rate of expansion are difficuly quantities to ascertain. Who can say what the mass of a quasar is or how many unknown black holes are out there, and to guess at the initial rate of expansion, you would need to know the mass to know how much it has been slowing itself down!

For what its worth I think we're heading for a collase eventually, but this is not really a scientific opinion.

Answer 4

I believe that all of the particles that make up the universe will eventually be compressed by the vacuum of space into one single black-hole (the singularity). Once, the last particle is forced into the singularity (due to the forces of space compressing everything into the perfect sphere. (this is when all of the space even within atoms has been removed and redistributed back into outer-space)) that is when the vacuum of space can no longer hold all of the matter into the singularity. Once, the very last particle (the particle the keeps the cycle going because of the unbalance) returns to the singularity the process starts over again.

The unbalance of the last particle in the universe is what keeps the the cycle going. (If you take all of the empty space out of every atom in the universe and compact all of those particles into one area that is what the size of the singularity should be. It will be small because most of an atom is space.)

What nobody will ever be able to figure out is where the particle came from. Religious people say GOD while the non-religious people say they have always been there.

One theory out there suggests that the material in outer-space is red shifted suggesting that that particles in space are moving outward. I say "BS". We can only measure what we see and what we are measuring is what the speed was billions of years ago in relation to much closer galaxies and what there speeds are just thousands of years ago.

A thought:
What if we were moving towards the singularity would we know it. The material that is closer to it than we are would appear to be red shifted because it would be moving ever faster away from us while the material behind us would also be red shifted because we would be moving faster away from it (not as fast as the material in front of us) because we are closer to the singularity making it appear that everything is moving outward when in fact it is being steched inward. Just a thought!

Answer 5

Ronin is correct. The most recent data from Hubble is that the universe is expanding and that the expansion is accelerating. The fact that the expansion is accelerating was a surprise and nobody knows what is causing the expansion to accelerate. It was previously thought that the expansion would be retarded by gravity which would eventually pull everything together in a big crunch but that theory is now out the window.

P.S. Jayceeins is incorrect about the big bang -- it cannot be compared to an explosion.

Answer 6

it remains universal right this moment, and no person has an answer. Its a standard phenomenon. notwithstanding that's accelerating quicker and quicker as time is going via, our area will in no way occupy our entire universe because of the fact it can not save up with the enlargement. Rachel, i understand that concerning an explosion here in the international we'd anticipate that over the years its potential will expend and and start to decelerate. yet that may not the case with what we word in our universe. darkish potential has some form of sources that hastens quicker as time is going on, easily the different of what we word here in the international. The universe is crammed with secret, inspite of the certainty we've we nonetheless cant piece all of it mutually

Answer 7

For fun look up the words of the Monty Python song in the film 'The Meaning of Life'.
Lance is correct - our sun's death is more important as we will need millions of years to find some-where else to live and so we'd better get going.
For those God people it will probably stop, when he(God) goes to the toilet at 4.00p.m. on May 2nd 3004.
For the rest of us why should'nt it keep expanding. Light from around the universe goes very fast and could keep on for-ever.

Answer 8

If you want to create hysteria, either for yourself or others, try contemplating the next phase of our star's (the sun's) existence. That is the only event we are positive will happen and we are just as sure planet Earth will not survive! Forget meteors, comets, collisions with other planets,ozone, global warming, even nuclear war. They all COULD happen. The Sun ending the Earth as a life sustaining planet WILL happen! The good news? It will probably take billions of years.

Answer 9

I just heard from a very reputable source that the universe will reverse it's expansion in three weeks. So get out all your credit cards and go shopping.

Answer 10

It will pop like a bubble in 10,000,000,000 times the age it is now.
If it recollapses, will time go backwards?