What is the true meaning of the Big Bang?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of the Big Bang and its expansion of the universe. It clarifies that the universe was in a hot and dense state, but did not expand into anything. The conversation also addresses misconceptions and recommends an article for further understanding.
  • #1
Pyrus
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We say that in big bang, a highly dense point like structure exploded and expanded.
In what did it expand?
If so, universe and space would be different entities.
Please elaborate.
 
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  • #2
Pyrus said:
We say that in big bang, a highly dense point like structure exploded and expanded.

No, it's not what BB theory says. It says that Universe was in a hot dense state, but if it is infinite it was infinite back then. That being said, your question is based on a wrong assumption, so it does not make sene.
 
  • #3
weirdoguy said:
No, it's not what BB theory says. It says that Universe was in a hot dense state, but if it is infinite it was infinite back then. That being said, your question is based on a wrong assumption, so it does not make sene.
Thanks for replying and rectifying my mistake.
But then also, universe was hot dense and then it expanded.
I think the concept of putting infinity wherever we cannot explain things is wrong.
We say visible universe is expanding but then, in what is it expanding.
 
  • #4
Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Later

astronomers measured the light and found that it was red-shifted.

Sometimes people speak in circles about this sort of thing. For example, the light measured in a telescope on Earth is measured on earth. Where was the photon? It was in the lens and then in the detector.

Compare "expansion of the universe" with "the energy decay rate of a photon in a vacuum". It is not the same thing but is similar.
 
  • #5
Pyrus said:
We say visible universe is expanding but then, in what is it expanding.

It doesn't expand in or into something. The distances within the universe increase.
 
  • #6
Pyrus said:
I think the concept of putting infinity wherever we cannot explain things is wrong.

Is anyone doing that? I don't recall.

Pyrus said:
We say visible universe is expanding but then, in what is it expanding.

It does not have to expand into anything. Distances between galaxy clusters increase, that's all.
 
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  • #7
I think that the following linked article will be highly illuminating:

http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~charley/papers/LineweaverDavisSciAm.pdf

This is an article published in Scientific American by Charles Lineweaver and Tamara Davis entitled _Misconceptions about the Big Bang_

It addresses Pyrus' questions and quite a few others in a fairly comprehensible and accurate exposition on what is (perhaps unfortunately) referred to as the Big Bang Theory. It goes a long way to straighten out some of the seeming 'talking in circles'.

Highly recommended.

diogenesNY

P.S. Just for fun, search out the origin of the term Big Bang :)
 

FAQ: What is the true meaning of the Big Bang?

What is "space"?

"Space" refers to the three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. It is often described as the vast expanse that contains all matter and energy in the universe.

How do we measure "space"?

"Space" is measured using various units such as meters, kilometers, or light-years. These measurements can help us understand the distance between objects in the universe and the size of the universe itself.

Is "space" infinite?

The current scientific consensus is that "space" is infinitely expanding, but it is not infinite. The universe has a finite age and is constantly expanding, but it is not believed to have an edge or boundary.

What is the difference between "space" and "outer space"?

"Space" refers to the three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur, while "outer space" specifically refers to the area beyond Earth's atmosphere. "Outer space" is often synonymous with the universe and can also refer to the region between planets and stars.

How do we define the boundaries of "space"?

The boundary of "space" is not well-defined, and it is constantly changing as the universe expands. However, scientists generally consider the edge of the observable universe to be the boundary of "space," although there could be more beyond what we can currently observe.

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