In The Beginning

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Chapter 19
In The Beginning
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termanthropic principle
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The idea that since we exist, the Universe must
have certain properties or it would not have
evolved so that life formed and humans evolved.
definition
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termcosmic microwave radiation
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Isotropic millimeter and submillimeter radiation
following a black-body curve for about 3 K
interpreted as a remnant of the big bang.
definition
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termelectromagnetism
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The combined force of electricity and magnetism,
which follows the formulae unified by Maxwell.
definition
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termelectroweak force
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The unified electromagnetic and weak forces,
according to a recent theory.
definition
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termflatness problem
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One of the problems solved by the inflationary
theory, that the Universe is exceedingly close to
being flat for no obvious reason.
definition
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term grand unified theories (GUTs)
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Theories unifying the electroweak force and the
strong force.
definition
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termgravity
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The tendency for all masses to attract each
other described in a formula by Newton and more
recently described by Einstein as a result of a
warping of space and time by the presence of a
mass.
definition
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termhorizon problem
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One of the problems of cosmology solved by the
inflationary theory why the Universe has the
same average temperature in all directions, even
though widely separated regions could never have
been in thermal equilibrium with each other since
they are beyond each other's horizons.
definition
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terminflation
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The theory that the Universe expanded extremely
fast, by perhaps 10 to the 100th power, in the
first fraction of a second after the big bang.
The concept of inflation solves several problems
in cosmology, such as the horizon problem.
definition
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term multiverse
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The set of parallel universes that may exist,
with our observable universe as only one part.
definition
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term perfect cosmological principle
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The assumption that on a large scale the Universe
is homogenous and isotropic in space and
unchanging in time.
definition
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termphase transition
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Change from one state of matter to another, as
from solid to liquid or liquid to gas phase
transitions in the early Universe marked the
separation of the fundamental forces.
definition
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term Planck time
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The time very close to the Big Bang, 10-43
seconds, before which a quantum theory of gravity
would be necessary to explain the Universe and
which is therefore currently inaccessible to our
computations.
definition
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term primordial nucleosynthesis
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The formation of the nuclei of isotopes of
hydrogen (such as deuterium), helium, and lithium
in the first 10 minutes of the Universe.
definition
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term quark
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One of the subatomic particles of which modern
theoreticians believe such elementary particles
as protons and neutrons are composed. The various
kinds of quarks have positive or negative charges
of 1/3e or 2/3e, where e is the unit of electric
charge.
definition
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term steady-state theory
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The cosmological theory based on the perfect
cosmological principle, in which the average
properties of the Universe are unchanging over
time.
definition
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term strong nuclear force
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The strong force.
definition
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term supercooled
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The condition in which a substance is cooled
below the point at which it would normally make a
phase change for the Universe, the point in the
early Universe at which it may have cooled below
a certain temperature without breaking its
symmetry the strong and electroweak forces
remained unified.
definition
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termsuperstring (string) theories
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A possible unification of quantum theory and
general relativity in which fundamental particles
are really different vibrating forms of a tiny,
one-dimensional "string" instead of being
localized at single points.
definition
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term symmetric
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A correspondence of shape so that rotating or
reflecting an object gives you back an identical
form symmetry of forces in the early Universe
corresponds to forces acting identically that now
act differently as the four fundamental forces
gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force,
and strong nuclear force.
definition
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term weak nuclear force
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One of the four fundamental forces of nature,
weaker than the strong force and the
electromagnetic force. It is important only in
the decay of certain elementary particles, such
as neutrons.
definition
End of chapter 19
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