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  1. #1

    If the universe is infinite, how is it expanding?

    To all the science and physics fanatics out there i have a question for you.
    If the universe is infinite, how is it expanding?

  2. #2
    To the best of my knowledge, the only reason the universe is considered "infinite" is because we cannot see to the end of it, and no one can ever reach it. I believe it actually expands faster than the speed of light, so it would be impossible to reach it. I'm pretty sure that the universe is pretty much a bubble that is ever expanding.
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  3. #3
    I think this is a mathematical question, not a philosophical one.

  4. #4
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    This is semi explained by the "infinite hotel" principal. This details a hotel which has an infinite number of rooms and an infinite number of guests occupying those rooms. If you want to accommodate more people you simply move everyone up 1 room as their is infinite room. Trying to tie this in to what you are asking. Since the universe is constantly expanding in order to accommodate more stuff it expands even more. Sort of like adding 1 more room.

  5. #5
    Legendary! Firebert's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UnstoppableFlame View Post
    I believe it actually expands faster than the speed of light, so it would be impossible to reach it. I'm pretty sure that the universe is pretty much a bubble that is ever expanding.
    If you believe in the Big Bang, consider the following:
    Travel in a direction, mentally, at just over the speed of light. Eventually, you will reach the explosion front of the Big Bang. It is dissipating more and more, but still expanding.

    If you believe in the Big Crunch, add the following:
    The effect of gravity on the objects in the centre of the universe will eventually cause the objects at the Big Bang wave front to slow and eventually return to the rest of the objects in the Universe.
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  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by superstarz View Post
    To all the science and physics fanatics out there i have a question for you.
    If the universe is infinite, how is it expanding?
    It isn't infinite. It's very much finite.
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  7. #7
    Stood in the Fire Haizer's Avatar
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    They say the universe is infinitely expanding. Which means that it's expanding so fast that we will never reach the end of it.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by superstarz View Post
    To all the science and physics fanatics out there i have a question for you.
    If the universe is infinite, how is it expanding?
    No one thinks the Universe is infinite. We just can't see the end of it so we can only try to model its actual size as best we can.

  9. #9
    To Infinity, And Beyond

    But to answer your question. I believe space is infinite, but it is the matter contained within it that they say is expanding. Read the Hitchhiker´s Guide to the Galaxy, he explains it all. But basically it means we don´t exist, since the the amount of space occupied by matter is finite, and space is infinite, therefore dividing one into the other results in a number so close to 0 that it can be considered 0.

  10. #10
    Pandaren Monk Mnevis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Firebert View Post
    If you believe in the Big Bang, consider the following:
    Travel in a direction, mentally, at just over the speed of light. Eventually, you will reach the explosion front of the Big Bang. It is dissipating more and more, but still expanding.
    I'm no physicist, and I know that the bolded section makes sense if we're talking about an explosion that starts in the space that we witness, but I don't think that statement is one that cosmologists would agree to.

  11. #11
    Legendary! Firebert's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jetstream View Post
    No one thinks the Universe is infinite.
    It's infinite as far as us as human beings are concerned. If you want to estimate the size of the universe, do (4/3)*(((speed of light)*(age of the universe))^3)*pi.
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  12. #12
    Well no one can conclusively say it is infinite, at least not yet.

  13. #13
    All the mass in the universe originated from one point during "the big bang", and has been expanding ever since. The real question is why is the expansion accelerating.

  14. #14
    Legendary! Firebert's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mnevis View Post
    I'm no physicist, and I know that the bolded section makes sense if we're talking about an explosion that starts in the space that we witness, but I don't think that statement is one that cosmologists would agree to.
    Why?

    If there were objects farther away than the explosion front of the Big Bang, they must have existed outside the epicentre of the Big Bang (which is a contradiction, assuming that this universe was created from a single point).
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  15. #15
    Yes, there is no evidence that suggests we should only view the universe as if it is infinite. You need a specific definition of 'the universe', does this include the vacuum?

  16. #16
    It's expanding infinitely.

    Is one theory, not necessarily the correct one.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Firebert View Post
    Why?

    If there were objects farther away than the explosion front of the Big Bang, they must have existed outside the epicentre of the Big Bang (which is a contradiction, assuming that this universe was created from a single point).
    He's pretty spot on on what he's saying, the universe can not have expanded faster than light travels through a vacuum therefore one can conject that an approximation such as the one he has posted can give you a decent idea on the volume of the universe.

  18. #18
    Banned Haven's Avatar
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    Well, if we divide the unverse into empty space and all matter/energy in existence, then theoretically the matter/energy doesn't occupy the entirety of all space, and keeps flying away from where the Big Bang occured, and somewhere beyond the light from the first flash of the Big Bang there is complete void.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Haven View Post
    Well, if we divide the unverse into empty space and all matter/energy in existence, then theoretically the matter/energy doesn't occupy the entirety of all space, and keeps flying away from where the Big Bang occured, and somewhere beyond the light from the first flash of the Big Bang there is complete void.
    There could be a complete void but this is not known for certain as it's not within mankind's reach to explore the outside of our expanding universe yet.

  20. #20
    Legendary! Firebert's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Haven View Post
    Well, if we divide the unverse into empty space and all matter/energy in existence, then theoretically the matter/energy doesn't occupy the entirety of all space, and keeps flying away from where the Big Bang occured, and somewhere beyond the light from the first flash of the Big Bang there is complete void.
    This is what I'm after as a definition of the limits of the Universe. :3
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