And where do you suppose the force comes from for this continuing acceleration???zuz said:At first it is static, and then it accelerates, and keeps accelerating,
No. The Big Bang was not an explosion into a pre-existing space.zuz said:could this be the cause of the continued expansion and acceleration of the universe?
Dark energy is a mysterious form of energy that makes up about 68% of the universe. It is thought to be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe, counteracting the gravitational forces of matter. Despite its significant presence, dark energy remains poorly understood, and its exact nature is one of the biggest questions in cosmology.
Dark energy was discovered through observations of distant supernovae in the late 1990s. Researchers found that these supernovae were dimmer than expected, indicating that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. This unexpected acceleration suggested the existence of a repulsive force, which was termed dark energy.
Dark energy plays a crucial role in determining the ultimate fate of the universe. If dark energy remains constant, it will lead to an ever-accelerating expansion, potentially resulting in a "Big Freeze," where galaxies drift apart beyond the observable horizon. Alternatively, if dark energy changes over time, different scenarios could unfold, including a possible "Big Crunch" or "Big Rip."
No, dark energy and dark matter are distinct concepts. Dark matter is a form of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it invisible and detectable only through its gravitational effects. In contrast, dark energy is a form of energy that is driving the accelerated expansion of the universe. While both are "dark" in the sense that they are not directly observable, they have different properties and roles in the cosmos.
Several theories attempt to explain dark energy, including the cosmological constant, which posits that dark energy is a constant energy density filling space homogeneously. Other theories suggest that dark energy could be a dynamic field, like quintessence, which evolves over time. Some researchers also explore modifications to general relativity that could account for the observed acceleration without invoking dark energy at all. However, none of these theories have been definitively proven.