What does the discovery of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation primarily support?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Solution: The correct answer is The Big Bang theory of the universe's origin.
Explanation:
☛ Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) is the faint cosmic radiation left over from the early stage of the universe, representing the afterglow of the Big Bang.
☛ It was accidentally discovered in 1965 by American astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson using the Bell Labs Holmdel Horn Antenna.
☛ This discovery confirmed that the universe began from an extremely hot, dense initial state and has been expanding and cooling ever since.
☛ The presence of CMBR provided conclusive observational evidence that led to the widespread scientific acceptance of the Big Bang theory over the rival Steady-State model.
Extra Exam-Relevant Facts:
☛ George Gamow, Ralph Alpher, and Robert Herman: First theoretically predicted the existence of CMBR in 1948.
☛ Nobel Prize: Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1978 for their discovery.
☛ CMBR Temperature: The radiation is nearly uniform across the entire cosmos with an average temperature of about 2.725 Kelvin.
☛ Steady-State Theory: Formulated by Fred Hoyle, Thomas Gold, and Hermann Bondi, this theory claimed the universe has no beginning and maintains a constant density.
Important One-Liners for Upcoming Exams:
☛ Who first formulated the modern Big Bang Theory? → Georges Lemaître
☛ In which year was Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) discovered? → 1965
☛ Which NASA satellite launched in 1989 provided the first precision map of CMBR? → COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer)
☛ What is the estimated age of the universe determined by CMBR observations? → Approximately 13.8 billion years
☛ Which rival cosmological model was largely ruled out by the discovery of CMBR? → Steady-State Theory