Questions of Life, the Universe and Everything

[Graeme]

I was asked a question by my eight-year-old son this morning, and I didn't know the answer:

 

Is the universe a sphere or oval-shaped?

 

There are people here who know more about cosmology than I do, so maybe someone knows the answer. My guess is that it's ovoid, but that's purely off the universe maps I've seen, and, to me, that doesn't make much sense. Unless the universe is rotating, it would make more sense for it to be spheriod. My son also thinks it's ovoid.

 

Another question that was asked this morning that I also didn't know the answer for.

 

I know the universe is expanding, but by how fast?

 

In case you haven't worked it out, my son has a large collection of space books that he reads regularly....

[Cynical Romantic]

... 42???

[JamesSavik]

Is the universe a sphere or oval-shaped?

 

The universe itself has no shape. Even if it is endless empty space, it's still the universe.

 

Clusters and super-clusters of Galaxies take on structures that look like fibers and their overall structure looks like a web.

 

 

I know the universe is expanding, but by how fast?

 

It varies considerably. Distant older galaxies that we see through deep imaging seem to be moving faster than newer, closer galaxies suggesting that the outward motion from the point of the big-bang is slowing.

[KJames]

Graeme,It's refreshing to know that there are still some young people out there that have an unbridled passion for learning about the universe in which they live.I hope that your son's passion for learning is eclipsed only by your ability to provide him the means to learn.

[W_L]

James has the right idea, most of the oval or sphere shape universe representations in books are merely for readers expressions rather than actual shape of the universe. We have no way of abstractly viewing the edge of the universe, so there is no way to define a real shape.

 

As for growth factor, it depends on many things. First, which theory do you ascribe in cosmology? Big Bang theory is usual culprit, but there are other theories now working in tandem. Several have fixed expansion rates based on the spacial expansion and temporal distance from the big bang epicenter, but there are certain theories with unstable or random expansion rates based on a universe that has a certain curvature. M theory based universes are higher dimensional constructs altogether eliminating size, depth, and spacial compositions as meaningful factors.

 

(Cosmology and Artillery history were my first two loves as a kid. I loved thinking of how a big bang could create so much stuff in the Universe and as any other young boy, I loved my gun play. The first book I read was the Physics of Star Trek, if your son is interested in cosmology and sci-fi, then I recommend it and the sequel books that will teach him a lot about advanced Quantum mechanics through allegories of Star Trek stories and mathematical universal theories based on how Star Trek Technology works.)

[Graeme]

James has the right idea, most of the oval or sphere shape universe representations in books are merely for readers expressions rather than actual shape of the universe. We have no way of abstractly viewing the edge of the universe, so there is no way to define a real shape.

 

As for growth factor, it depends on many things. First, which theory do you ascribe in cosmology? Big Bang theory is usual culprit, but there are other theories now working in tandem. Several have fixed expansion rates based on the spacial expansion and temporal distance from the big bang epicenter, but there are certain theories with unstable or random expansion rates based on a universe that has a certain curvature. M theory based universes are higher dimensional constructs altogether eliminating size, depth, and spacial compositions as meaningful factors.

 

(Cosmology and Artillery history were my first two loves as a kid. I loved thinking of how a big bang could create so much stuff in the Universe and as any other young boy, I loved my gun play. The first book I read was the Physics of Star Trek, if your son is interested in cosmology and sci-fi, then I recommend it and the sequel books that will teach him a lot about advanced Quantum mechanics through allegories of Star Trek stories and mathematical universal theories based on how Star Trek Technology works.)

 

May I remind you that I need an answer suitable for a (bright) eight-year-old?

 

Thanks, everyone! I'll see whether I can explain the idea that the universe doesn't have a shape to my son... :wacko: wish me luck!

[Former Member]

this reminded me of Cristopher Columbus and him believing the earth was round and the rest of them people saying it was flat. Well we know now the earth is round. As for a Universe yeah i'd say theres no shape.

 

One thing that amazes me is there seems to be more people or this just might be me here that are trying to explore space and is there life out there etc etc. And yet we have so much in our own oceans and such to explore still. Shouldn't we be worrying about our own planet before were off trying to figure out the others?.

[Former Member]

his reminded me of Cristopher Columbus and him believing the earth was round and the rest of them people saying it was flat.

 

Actually only the peasants still believed that the earth was flat, educated society had first been introduced to the concept by Eratosthenes back in 250 BCE, and was widely accepted in the 7th Century after St Isodore of Seville published his encyclopaedia...but we're talking about the universe here.

 

The universe cannot have a defined edge because there is no edge. If there is no universe beyond the edge of the universe there can't be an edge of the universe (I think that makes sense)

 

As for the rate of expansion: A side-calculation of Chaos Theory ensures that the rate will fluctuate wildly in indirect correlation to the position in space-time of matter.

[Phantom]

My brain hurts from this thread... thanks guys

 

 

 

I did a quick question with Skynet... errr.... Wolfram Alpha...

 

this is what it pulled up

 

http://www05.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=wha...rse&t=igg01

 

Eric