In a universe with zero curvature, the local geometry is flat. … With dark energy, the expansion rate of the universe initially slows down, due to the effect of gravity, but eventually increases. The ultimate fate of the universe is the same as that of an open universe. A
flat universe can have zero total energy
.
What does it mean space is flat?
flat. We say that the universe is flat, and this means
that parallel lines will always remain parallel
. 90-degree turns behave as true 90-degree turns, and everything makes sense.
Why is universe flat and not spherical?
Cosmic expansion means that points in space are spreading apart over time. The shape of the universe deals with the shape of space. A
spherical balloon can expand as it is inflated
, just as a flat rubber sheet can be stretched and remain flat. So our expanding universe could be flat, open, or closed.
Can the universe be flat and finite?
No.
We do not know whether the Universe is finite
or not. … The surface of the torus is also spatially flat, but it is finite. So you have two possibilities for a flat Universe: one infinite, like a plane, and one finite, like a torus, which is also flat.
Is space flat NASA?
NASA’s Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) measured background fluctuations in an effort to determine whether the universe is open or closed. In 2013, scientists announced that
the universe was known to be flat with only a 0.4 percent margin of error
.
How many dimensions do we live in?
In everyday life, we inhabit a space of
three dimensions
– a vast ‘cupboard’ with height, width and depth, well known for centuries. Less obviously, we can consider time as an additional, fourth dimension, as Einstein famously revealed.
Does space have a floor?
Space has no floor
. However, it’s not really an endless pit, either, because gravity doesn’t pull in one direction.
Does the universe have an end?
The end result is unknown
; a simple estimation would have all the matter and space-time in the universe collapse into a dimensionless singularity back into how the universe started with the Big Bang, but at these scales unknown quantum effects need to be considered (see Quantum gravity).
Is universe closed?
If the universe’s density is great enough for its gravity to overcome the force of expansion, then the universe will curl into a ball. This is known as the closed model, with positive curvature resembling a sphere. A mind-boggling property of this universe is that it is finite, yet it has no bounds.
How can the universe be flat and accelerating?
It is perfectly possible to have a flat universe that expands forever and is accelerating
. Dark energy is what makes this possible. Whilst the curvature of the universe is defined by the sum of all the energy densities in it, the effects of matter (baryonic or dark) and dark energy are quite different on its dynamics.
Is the space endless?
The observable universe is finite in that it hasn’t existed forever
. It extends 46 billion light years in every direction from us. (While our universe is 13.8 billion years old, the observable universe reaches further since the universe is expanding).
What is the shape of the universe 2020?
If the universe’s density is great enough for its gravity to overcome the force of expansion, then the universe will
curl into a ball
. This is known as the closed model, with positive curvature resembling a sphere. A mind-boggling property of this universe is that it is finite, yet it has no bounds.
How do we know space is flat?
General relativity explains that mass and energy bend the curvature of spacetime and is used to determine what curvature the universe has by using a value called the density parameter, represented with Omega (Ω). …
If Ω = 1, the universe is flat
. If Ω > 1, there is positive curvature.
How many dimensions are there?
The world as we know it has
three dimensions of space
—length, width and depth—and one dimension of time. But there’s the mind-bending possibility that many more dimensions exist out there. According to string theory, one of the leading physics model of the last half century, the universe operates with 10 dimensions.
What is beyond the universe?
The universe, being all there is, is infinitely big and has no edge, so there’s no outside to even talk about. … The current width of the observable universe is about 90 billion light-years. And presumably, beyond that boundary, there’s
a bunch of other random stars and galaxies
.
Does space go in all directions?
The universe, it turns out, looks the same in every direction. … But on a much size scale encompassing the entire universe, new research shows the
cosmic landscape doesn’t have any preferred direction
— there’s no axis of spin like the Earth, no massive asymmetries that would orient a cosmic traveler.
