Cosmology

Understandings:

• The Big Bang model
• Cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation
• Hubble’s law
• The accelerating universe and redshift (z)
• The cosmic scale factor (R)

Applications and skills:

• Describing both space and time as originating with the Big Bang
• Describing the characteristics of the CMB radiation
• Explaining how the CMB radiation is evidence for a Hot Big Bang
• Solving problems involving z, R and Hubble’s law
• Estimating the age of the universe by assuming a constant expansion rate

Guidance:

• CMB radiation will be considered to be isotropic at 2.73K
• For CMB radiation a simple explanation in terms of the universe cooling down or distances (and hence wavelengths) being stretched out is all that is required
• A qualitative description of the role of type Ia supernovae as providing evidence for an accelerating universe is required