1

the AGE of
the
UNIVERSE

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learning OBJECTIVES

Define the doppler effect and explain its application to the light
from other stars and galaxies

Use the equation for red shift of light, .

Describe Hubble's law and the equation for objects at

cosmological distances.

the DOPPLER EFFECT

The doppler effect is the apparent change in the observed frequency and
wavelength of a wave due to the rela ve movement between the source of the
wave and the observer.
As long as there is rela ve mo on between a source and observer, the doppler
effect will exist.

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TOWARDS the observer

As the source (A) moves towards the observer, the waves in front of the source get squashed,
implying that their apparent frequency increases.
Since v = λf, f = v/λ - therefore when the wavelength decreases, frequency increases.
The person on the right will hear a higher pitched sound

AWAY from the observer

As the source moves away from the observer, the waves get stretch and the distance between
wavefronts increase (wavelength increases), the waves get stretched.
Since v = λf, f = v/λ - when the wavelength increases, frequency decreases.
The person on the le will hear a lower pitched sound

the DOPPLER EFFECT in electromagne c waves

visible LIGHT • The visible light spectrum is obtained by dispersing the light from
a source and separating them into its constituent colors.
SPECTRUM • White light is a combination of all the colors, and so, if we were
to disperse it, it would appear as shown below.

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light from • In sound waves, as the frequency and wavelength change, the pitch of the
sounds heard changes.
DISTANT • On the other hand, with light waves, as the frequency and wavelength
changes, the color observed changes.
GALAXIES • With this knowledge, we can investigate the spectrum of light from galaxies
and if they appear more red, then the galaxy would be moving away from us.
• We do this by studying their absorption spectrum.

absorp on  A spectrum of EM radiation transmitted through a substance showing dark

bands due to absorption of waves at specific wavelengths.
SPECTRUM  The dark bands are as a result of atoms in the atmosphere of a star absorbing
photons of specific energies to excite their electrons to higher energy levels.
 Since E = hc/λ, light of specific wavelengths are 'missing' or appear to be
dark since they have been absorbed.

comparing ABSORPTION SPECTRA from different sources

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When we compare the absorp on spectrum of light from the sun and from a distant galaxy,
we realize that the dark bands have shi ed to red end of the spectrum.
The general pa ern and distance between these lines remain the same.
The shi of the spectral lines gives us the evidence of red shi and that galaxies are receding
from us.

DOPPLER If a light source, say a star, moved away from an observer

(Earth) at significant veloci es, the frequency of the
EFFECT in light observed would be shorter and therefore, the light
would have a larger wavelength.
ac on The Fraunhofer lines (spectral lines) would have shi ed to the
red end of the spectrum.

This frac onal increase in wavelength received by an observer

on earth due to a star of galaxy receding is called red shi .

checkpoint QUESTIONS
1. Define the doppler effect
 The doppler effect is the apparent change in frequency and wavelength of a wave as
observed by the observer due to the relative motion between an observer and source.
2. An ambulance and a car are moving at the same velocity of 20m/s. Explain whether or
not the doppler effect will exist in this situation.
 There will be no doppler effect because the relative velocity between the car and
ambulance is zero.
3. How does the doppler effect apply to the light from distant galaxies?
 Light from distant galaxies appear slightly red than they should. We know this because
we can compare the light from a reference star. Since it appears red, it shows evidence to
doppler effect as the wavelength of the light has increased.
 The galaxy moves away from us hence the waves are stretched.

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the Z NUMBER

We can calculate the speed at which a galaxy is moving away from us using the equa on:

 The Z in the equation is the z ratio, or the

z number and it indicates the rate of
expansion relative to a subject
galaxy/star.
 V is the recessional velocity of the subject
galaxy, star
 c would be the speed of light, 3 * 10 ^ 8
m/s

The remaining en es are wavelength, change in

wavelength, frequency, and change in frequency (refer
to WAVES in Unit 2)

worked
EXAMPLE

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HUBBLE'S LAW

Edwin Hubble was an American astronomer who

lived from 1889 – 1953. Throughout his life, he made
essen al contribu ons in the realm cosmology.

One such contribu on was the Hubble's law, a law

that described the direct rela onship between
recessional veloci es of galaxies and the distance
from earth.

In this case;
v is the recessional velocity in km/s
is the constant of propor onality, given
the name Hubble’s constant, in km/s/Mpc.
d is the distance in Mpc

a GRAPHICAL
REPRESENTATION
of the Hubble’s
law

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The data from observa on of different galaxies and their absorp on spectra allowed us to
calculate their velocity using the z formula.
The distance an object is from us is calculated using the trigonometric parallax method for
up to a few thousand light years, then we use standard candle method.
These values are tabled and plo ed in a graph of velocity against me.
As you can see, there is no ceable sca er in the plots. This is as a result of the earth’s local
mo on. As earth would revolve through space, the light observed from distant stars may
vary, hence the sca er.
The gradient of the graph is the Hubble’s constant.

Since all galaxies showed red shi s in their spectra, Hubble concluded that all the galaxies
must be moving apart from each other and the universe is expanding.

o The Hubble’s constant has had many values

over the years and so the subscript 0 indicates
the value of the Hubble’s constant today.
o This enunciates the difficulty of accurately
determining astronomical distances
the HUBBLE’S o Since the launch of the ESA Planck Surveyor –
a space observatory, the uncertainties in
CONSANT is… not measurement and hence, the uncertainty in
the Hubble’s constant values have
a constant? significantly reduced
o Hubble got the value to be 500 km/s/Mpc, a
massive difference from the current accepted
value of 70.9 km/s/Mpc
o Another reason why it isn’t a constant is due
to the fact that the energy density of the
universe is changing as it expands {the fate of
the universe}.

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worked
EXAMPLE

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the BIG BANG!
10

We have successfully concluded that the universe is

expanding with me.

If we were to reverse me, the universe would be

shrinking…

Tracing back me and realizing that the universe

the came from something is the basis of the big bang
theory
BEGINNING Our universe evolved from an infinitesimally small
of point called a singularity.
In an event called the big bang, ma er was thrown
EVERYTHING into space away from this singularity.
It is theorized that the ini a on of me itself was
followed by this event.

If we can find the Hubble’s constant, it can tell us

how quickly the universe is expanding.
From this, we can work out when it all started.
For an object to travel a distance d0 from the beginning
of me, at a speed v0,

The me taken T0 can be calculated from basic

the equa on of speed:

usefulness of
HUBBLE’S
CONSTANT

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Finding the AGE of the UNIVERSE

DEFINITION of terms

• The doppler effect - is the apparent change in the observed frequency and wavelength
of a wave due to the relative movement between the source of the wave and the
observer.
• The visible light spectrum is obtained by dispersing the light from a source and
separating them into its constituent colors.
• The absorption spectrum is a spectrum of EM radiation transmitted through a
substance showing dark bands due to absorption of waves at specific wavelengths.
• The red shift is the fractional increase in wavelength received by an observer on earth
due to a star of galaxy receding.
• Hubble’s law states that the recessional velocity of a galaxy is directly proportional to the
distance from the earth.
• The big bang theory is a theory that suggest that the universe started off from a
singularity in an explosive event called the big bang.

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(The Physics Book 2)

Fraunhofer lines - Wikipedia
The Doppler Effect: what does mo on do to waves?
(youtube.com)
nasa.org
Fraunhofer Lines: Defini on & Table | Study.com

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