The Universe (Cambridge O Level Physics)

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Astronomical Distances

  • Astronomical distances, such as the distances between stars and galaxies, are so large that physicists use a special unit to measure them called the light-year
  • One light-year is defined as:

The distance travelled by light through (the vacuum of) space in one year

  • The speed of light is the universal speed limit, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light
  • But over astronomical distances, light actually travels pretty slowly
  • The diameter of the Milky Way is approximately 100 000 light-years
    • This means that light would take 100 000 years to travel across it
  • One light year is equal to 9.5 × 1012 km, or 9.5 × 1015 m

Redshift

  • Usually, when an object emits waves, the wavefronts spread out symmetrically
  • If the wave source moves, the waves can become squashed together or stretched out

The Doppler Effect

doppler-effect, IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

Diagram showing the wavefronts produced from a stationary object and a moving object

  • A moving object will cause the wavelength, λ, (and frequency) of the waves to change:
    • The wavelength of the waves in front of the source decreases and the frequency increases
    • The wavelength behind the source increases and the frequency decreases
    • This effect is known as the Doppler effect

  • The Doppler effect also affects light
    • If an object moves away from an observer the wavelength of light increases
    • This is known as redshift as the light moves towards the red end of the spectrum
  • Redshift is defined as:

An increase in the observed wavelength of electromagnet radiation emitted from receding stars and galaxies

Redshift & Blueshift

red-&-blue-shift, IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

Light from a star that is moving towards an observer will be blueshifted and light from a star moving away from an observer will be redshifted

Light Doppler Shift, downloadable AS & A Level Physics revision notes

The observer behind the source observes redshift

  • The Milky Way is just one of billions of galaxies that make up the Universe
  • Light emitted from distant galaxies appears redshifted when compared with light emitted on Earth

  • The diagram below shows the light coming to us from a close object, such as the Sun, and the light coming to us from a distant galaxy

Comparison of Light Spectra

Comparing the light spectrum produced from the Sun and a distant galaxy, downloadable IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

Comparing the light spectrum produced by the Sun and a distant galaxy

  • The diagram also shows that the light coming to us from distant galaxies is redshifted
    • The lines on the spectrum are shifted towards the red end

  • This indicates that the galaxies are moving away from us
  • If the galaxies are moving away from us it means that the universe is expanding
  • The observation of redshift from distant galaxies supports the Big Bang theory
  • Another observation from looking at the light spectrums produced from distant galaxies is that the greater the distance to the galaxy, the greater the redshift
    • This means that the further away a galaxy is, the faster it is moving away from us

Redshift & Distance from Earth

Hubbles-law, IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

Graph showing the greater the distance to a galaxy, the greater the redshift

The Big Bang

  • Around 14 billion years ago, the Universe began from a very small region that was extremely hot and dense
  • Then there was a giant explosion, which is known as the Big Bang
  • This caused the universe to expand from a single point, cooling as it does so, to form the universe today
  • Each point expands away from the others
    • This is seen from galaxies moving away from each other, and the further away they are the faster they move

  • Redshift in the light from distant galaxies is evidence that the Universe is expanding and supports the Big Bang Theory
    • As a result of the initial explosion, the Universe continues to expand

Expansion of the Universe

universe-expansion, IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

All galaxies are moving away from each other, indicating that the universe is expanding

  • An analogy of this is points drawn on a balloon where the balloon represents space and the points as galaxies
    • When the balloon is deflated, all the points are close together and an equal distance apart
    • As the balloon expands, all the points become further apart by the same amount
    • This is because the space itself has expanded between the galaxies

Analogy for the Expanding Universe

Big Bang Balloon Analogy, downloadable IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

A balloon inflating is similar to the stretching of the space between galaxies

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Katie M

Author: Katie M

Expertise: Physics

Katie has always been passionate about the sciences, and completed a degree in Astrophysics at Sheffield University. She decided that she wanted to inspire other young people, so moved to Bristol to complete a PGCE in Secondary Science. She particularly loves creating fun and absorbing materials to help students achieve their exam potential.