Steady-state Theory

Steady-state Theory
• in cosmology, a view that the universe is always expanding but maintaining a constant average
density, with matter being continuously created to form new stars and galaxies at the same rate that
old ones become unobservable as a consequence of their increasing distance and velocity of recession.

• This theory states that the universe has always been the same since the beginning and will remain in
its present until eternity.

• This theory was proposed in 1948 by British scientists Hermann Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Fred
Hoyle.
Features of Steady-state Theory

• The universe is infinite

• Question of its origin does not arise
• It has always existed (so no ‘creation event’ is needed)
• The universe doesn’t evolve or change over time
• Question of its ultimate fate does not arise either
• It will always exist in its current form
 Compare and Contrast

Steady-state Theory
v.s
Big Bang Theory
Big Bang Theory
• is widely known and accepted scientific explanation for the origin of the universe. It
proposes that the universe began as a singularity, an extremely hot and dense point,
approximately 13.8 or 14 billion years ago. It is the idea that the universe began as just
a single point, then expanded and stretched to grow as large as it is right now—and it
is still stretching!
Both theories are known by scientists and both are the most popular theories of the
origin of the universe. Even though both theories are common, only 1 is accepted
by scientists and that is the Big Bang Theory while Steady-state theory is not
accepted as much.

So, what are their differences and similarities?

 Differences
Big Bang
• Big Bang states that there is a beginning and an
end to this universe.
• Many observations agree with the big bang
theory.
• Big Bang assumes that the universe is expanding,
but still cooling down from the event of the big
bang millions of years ago.
• No new matter can be created, total amount of
matter and energy stays the same.
Steady-state
• Steady-state suggests that there is no beginning
and no end.
• Almost none agrees with the steady state
theory.
• steady-state universe theory merely assumes
that the universe is expanding but not only in
size, in the number of its galaxies as well.
• Steady-state theory states that although the
universe is expanding matter is constantly
being created at a constant rate.
 Similarities
Big Bang
&
Steady-state

• Theories that explain the existence of

the universe.
Decline of the Steady State theory
 For many years, Big Bang Theory and Steady State Theory has been competing as to which of these theories
explain the evolution of the universe’s appearance.

Steady-state Theory was very popular in the 1950s. Although, during the early 1960s evidences that contradicts
the theory began to emerge.

Firstly, observations taken with radio telescopes showed that there were more radio sources a long distance away
from us than would be predicted by the theory. By a long distance, I mean billions of light years. Because of the
times it takes light to reach us then, when we look at objects billions of light years from us, we are looking back
billions of years in time. So what these observations were saying is that there were more cosmic radio sources
billions of years ago than there are now. This would suggest that the Universe is changing over time which
contradicts the Steady State theory (Steve Hurley, 2015).
 The Steady State theory offered simple solutions to the way the universe worked, but as observatories looked
farther back into the early eras of the universe, astronomers started to see contradictions to the theory.

Astronomers found that the universe actually evolves over time. For example, cosmologists discovered different
types of stars are more common during different ages of the universe. The final demise of the Steady State theory
came in the late 1960's with the discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background. Steady State Theory could
offer no convincing explanation for the CMB and as such, most contemporary cosmologists feel this theory is
wrong.

For the reasons given above, by the early 1970s the Steady State theory was no longer accepted by the vast
majority of cosmologists. The Big Bang theory is now generally believed to explain the origin of the Universe.
However, despite this it can still be argued that the Steady State theory is a good theory.
References:
• https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-similarities-of-the-Big-Bang-Theory-and-Steady-State?
fbclid=IwAR0BMAJKaSAEodHFfeZJ6cfM0AmQ_1b4eHNG0gJe8BFCBbMmMe0Wb0XIMq8

• https://prezi.com/5wayirq9mre7/big-bang-theory-vs-steady-state-theory/?fbclid=IwAR1xc7bKrNvbvsOl-cYBGUQmo9svp9wcC-
UcpHMCj8QRlBaShwrSeu85wQU

• https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-steady-state-theory-vs-the-big-bang-theory.html?
fbclid=IwAR36EYuNYdxUT6jIDvhbWdlQDAVuaor4ffNsBQiKEJg6pH-FKuCQXnoQMzU#:~:text=The%20steady%20state%20theory
%20was,years%20ago%20than%20at%20present

• https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100529953?fbclid=IwAR0YtXJ4Ue2Wnrq7pbEFbzVOjo-
BTvtF8xqwGOmOaOoNIte-np3WDiez6Qc#:~:text=For%20many%20years%20the%20steady,of%20our%20Universe%20with%20time

• https://explainingscience.org/2015/07/25/the-steady-state-theory/
 Fin.
Thank you very much!

Submitted by: Janiah Shane P. Mahinay

Section: Programming A
Submitted to: Ms. Rosemarie Albacite
Subject: Physhical Science
Topic: Steady-state Theory