Astronomy 10 Quiz 12, Spring Semester 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Astronomy 10 learning goal Q12.4
[3.0 points.] Which one of the following choices best describes the evidence for the sudden early inflation of space in the universe?
(A) Stars in the inner and outer parts of the disk orbit the center of the Milky Way with the same speed.
(B) Each and every galaxy sees all other galaxies moving away from its location.
(C) Nearly equal amounts of cosmic background radiation are detected from all directions.
(D) Distant galaxies appear to be much younger than nearby galaxies.
(E) Type Ia supernovae in distant galaxies appear to be dimmer than expected from their redshifts.
Correct answer: (C)
Response (C) is the horizon problem of the cosmic background radiation, which may be explained by being a very small portion of the universe inflating suddenly and briefly to become the extent of the visible universe today. Response (A) is evidence for dark matter; response (B) is a reason why the expansion of the universe can be said to have no center; response (D) is a result of the finite speed of light ("lookback time"); while response (E) is evidence for the recent acceleration of the universe's expansion rate, caused by dark energy.
Student responses
Section 4160
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 4 students
(C) : 10 student
(D) : 0 students
(E) : 19 students
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