Big Bang Theory

The most accepted theory about the origin of the universe is the Big Bang Theory. Georges Lemaître, a
Belgian priest, is considered as the first proponent of the Big Bang Theory. The theory was supported by other
scientists such as Edwin Hubble, Arno Penzias, and Robert Wilson who presented pieces of evidence to
support it.
The Big Bang Theory states that the universe started as a “singularity”—an area predicted to be in the core of a
black hole with a very high temperature and density, which compressed matter with its intense gravitational
pressure.
Singularity
The presence of the singularity is still a mystery to many scientists, but they stated that this singularity
constantly expands and cools. The rate of expansion is almost equal to the rate of cooling; at this moment, there
is a build up of intense heat which leads to the increase in the expansion of the singularity.
The intense heat also leads to the creation of matter and antimatter that are being destroyed every time they
collide with each other. During this moment, the number of matter dominates over the number of antimatter.
This started the dominance of matter, or atomic particles, in the early universe. These particles undergo
nucleosynthesis wherein they combine to form another atomic particle.
Nucleosynthesis
Nucleosynthesis leads to the formation of chemicals such as hydrogen and helium. These chemicals then lead
to the formation of the stars and the galaxies. The presence of the stars leads to the formation of larger matter
such as planets, comets, and other celestial bodies. Ever since the Big Bang happened, the universe
continuously expands, and the occurrence of the cosmic background radiation was suggested to be an aftermath
of the explosion that happened 20 billion years ago.
Steady State Theory
The Steady State Theory proposed by Hermann Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Fred Hoyle, suggests that the
universe has always been there and will always be present. It also conveys that the universe always looks the
same in any time or space but continuously expands while simultaneously creating matter, maintaining the
density of the universe; hence, the name Steady State.
The Steady State Theory is so simple that it was widely accepted even before the proposal of the Big Bang
Theory. The discovery of the cosmic background radiation significantly supported the explanations given by the
Big Bang Theory, which led many scientists to reject the Steady State Theory. This theory first explained that
the cosmic background radiation is a result of a supernova. But after a thorough research, it was proven that it is
equal in any direction of the universe and could not only be a result of many supernovae.
Oscillating Universe Theory
The Oscillating Universe Theory, also referred to as the Pulsating Theory, discusses that the universe is
expanding and will contract once all the energy after the Big Bang is used up. This theory, proposed by
Richard Tolman, can be described as the combination of the Big Bang and the Big Crunch.
The Big Crunch occurs when the universe expands and eventually reverses, then collapses causing a singularity
or the formation of another Big Bang. The Oscillating Universe Theory suggests that once the universe reverses
and attains the point of singularity, another universe will be born. This is referred to as the Big Bounce. Tolman
theorized that the universe may be first in the cycle and could be a result of a previous Big Bounce event.
Just like in the Steady State Theory, scientists discovered many loopholes in the Oscillating Universe Theory
because it was said that for the universe to collapse, energy must be present. This theory suggests that the
universe will collapse on its own after it reaches its full expansion, which violates some laws of physics.

Prepared By:
Michelle Bernadette Co-Gonzales