What is meant by the Big Crunch?
Definition of big crunch : a hypothetical cosmological event in which all matter in the universe collapses to a singularity and which is posited to be a possible fate of the universe if the density of matter in it is sufficiently high — compare big bang, big rip.
Will universe stop expanding?
Theories about the end of the universe. The fate of the universe is determined by its density. The preponderance of evidence to date, based on measurements of the rate of expansion and the mass density, favors a universe that will continue to expand indefinitely, resulting in the “Big Freeze” scenario below.
How does the Big Crunch theory work?
How the Big Crunch Theory Works. According to this theory, the universe will one day stop expanding. Then, as gravity pulls on the matter, the universe will begin to contract, falling inward until it has collapsed back into a super-hot, super-dense singularity. If the theory holds true, the universe is like a giant soufflé.
Will the Big Crunch ever happen?
While we can’t rule out that some yet unknown factor will reduce the dark energy in our universe, allowing gravity to become predominant and causing the Big Crunch to happen, it is currently not viewed as very likely. According to the Big Bang theory, our universe began as a small singularity, and then space started expanding ever outward.
What is the Big Crunch in cosmology?
Physical cosmology. The Big Crunch is a hypothetical scenario for the ultimate fate of the universe, in which the expansion of the universe eventually reverses and the universe recollapses, ultimately causing the cosmic scale factor to reach zero, an event potentially followed by a reformation of the universe starting with another Big Bang.
What caused the Big Bang to happen?
Astronomers don’t fully understand what caused the expansion to begin, but they use the term “big bang” to describe both the singularity and the first few moments that followed. As the newborn universe expanded, it began to cool down and become less dense.