The ultimate fate of the Universe

[Human]

In what way do you think the universe will end?
If you want an idea read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_fate_of_the_universe

I believe that the 'big freeze' or 'heat death' which is where there is no more energy, as there is thermodynamic equilibrium. There is no equilibrium at the moment as matter/energy is in different places, in stars, galaxies etc.
The decay time of a super massive black hole of galactic mass (10 to the power of 11 solar masses) is about a googol or 10 to the power of 100 years. So entropy can be produced for one googol years. So eventually there will be no more galaxies, or stars, the universe will enter a 'dark era' composed of photons, neutrinos, electrons, and positrons which float through space forever. Nothing ever happens again, at least nothing big. The laws of physics we see today break down and quantum physics prevail.
I basically simplified it a lot but if you want more of an explanation on my view, then just ask

[Manjusri]

Well, considering the big bang theory is a massive explosion of energy...

The universe will continue to expand as it is now until the radius of the blast reaches its maximum volume. At that point the universe will begin to regress, destroying everything in its path until it implodes upon itself.

Then when that happens the large amount of energy imploding in a single point will cause an explosion, which is a large expulsion of energy, which is another big bang.

Our universe will end at some point, yeah. It's just going to continue in the same cycle again. There were more than likely other universes that existed before ours, which means there was more than one big bang.

[Human]

Well, considering the big bang theory is a massive explosion of energy...

The universe will continue to expand as it is now until the radius of the blast reaches its maximum volume. At that point the universe will begin to regress, destroying everything in its path until it implodes upon itself.

Then when that happens the large amount of energy imploding in a single point will cause an explosion, which is a large expulsion of energy, which is another big bang.

Our universe will end at some point, yeah. It's just going to continue in the same cycle again. There were more than likely other universes that existed before ours, which means there was more than one big bang.
Actually the big bang wasn't an 'explosion'... it was an expansion.

[Manjusri]

Actually the big bang wasn't an 'explosion'... it was an expansion.

An expansion caused by an explosion of massive amounts of energy. :rolleyes:

In the most common models the Universe was filled homogeneously and isotropically with an incredibly high energy density and huge temperatures and pressures and was very rapidly expanding and cooling. Approximately 10−37 seconds into the expansion, a phase transition caused a cosmic inflation, during which the Universe grew exponentially.

Did you not read the article you linked?

It was not an explosion in the terminology that most people use, but a "space-explosion" (cosmic expansion) i guess you could say. Although debris didn't come from the epicenter of the big bang the expansion was caused by an explosion; which was caused by massive amounts of pressure from the energy and temperature.

Sure, maybe 'explosion' wasn't the correct wording. Nevertheless it's all connected whether it be an explosion or an expansion.

[Smeagol]

I think the energy will be made into yet another form. There will always be a universe... But not the universe as we know it.

[Sir Suomi]

I know this isn't scientific, but I'm sort of a man of faith, and I believe that our universe will end when He chooses. I know there is a lot of evidence supporting the Big Bang Theory, but I just think that it's ridiculous to think that we were not created for a bigger purpose than to just be us. He shaped us, and is putting us on the path to glory. And when our time is up, it's done!

Sorry, if that's a little too religious, but that's just my thought on that subject! :D

[Gigablue]

Well, considering the big bang theory is a massive explosion of energy...

The universe will continue to expand as it is now until the radius of the blast reaches its maximum volume. At that point the universe will begin to regress, destroying everything in its path until it implodes upon itself.

Then when that happens the large amount of energy imploding in a single point will cause an explosion, which is a large expulsion of energy, which is another big bang.

Our universe will end at some point, yeah. It's just going to continue in the same cycle again. There were more than likely other universes that existed before ours, which means there was more than one big bang.

People used to think that this would happen, but the discovery of dark energy has made them rethink it. Dark energy seems to be pulling the universe apart faster than gravity pulls it together.

I think that the universe will either end in a heat death, also called the big freeze, when entropy reaches maximum and no energy is available to do work, or a big rip, when the force of dark energy overcomes the strong interaction and separates everything into elementary particles.

[TheBigUnit]

scientists predict the universe will/is expanding and soon deflate like a balloon,

that being said all things will come to an end basically

[Human]

An expansion caused by an explosion of massive amounts of energy. :rolleyes:



Did you not read the article you linked?

It was not an explosion in the terminology that most people use, but a "space-explosion" (cosmic expansion) i guess you could say. Although debris didn't come from the epicenter of the big bang the expansion was caused by an explosion; which was caused by massive amounts of pressure from the energy and temperature.

Sure, maybe 'explosion' wasn't the correct wording. Nevertheless it's all connected whether it be an explosion or an expansion.
How does energy just explode? You can't call it a space explosion, it wasn't caused by an explosion! The expansion didn't happen because of an explosion either...
"The Big Bang is not an explosion of matter moving outward to fill an empty universe. Instead, space itself expands with time everywhere and increases the physical distance between two comoving points. Because the FLRW metric assumes a uniform distribution of mass and energy, it applies to our Universe only on large scales—local concentrations of matter such as our galaxy are gravitationally bound and as such do not experience the large-scale expansion of space."
how about i add a rolleyes too

[Manjusri]

How does energy just explode? You can't call it a space explosion, it wasn't caused by an explosion! The expansion didn't happen because of an explosion either...

Explosion - a violent expansion in which energy is transmitted as a shock wave.

"The Big Bang is not an explosion of matter moving outward to fill an empty universe. Instead, space itself expands with time everywhere and increases the physical distance between two comoving points. Because the FLRW metric assumes a uniform distribution of mass and energy, it applies to our Universe only on large scales—local concentrations of matter such as our galaxy are gravitationally bound and as such do not experience the large-scale expansion of space."

Yes, i understand what the big bang was. Allow me to restate that 'explosion' may not have been the best terminology to describe it, however, it is relatively the same thing.

how about i add a rolleyes too

..go for it.

[TigerBoy]

There are several theories that suggest that the question is flawed, that there will be no end.

Some have speculated that observed 'expansion' (be it as a result of a big bang or not) results ultimately in a dispersal of all matter and energy until everything is a state of equilibrium and then 'that's it', some suggest it contracts back in but there are many alternatives as to what (if anything) happens next.

Based on memory from watching a program on this (so apologies if I can't explain it better than this)....

Some theorise that there is no such thing as 'perfect equilibrium' so random events lead to the formation of a new structure, arguably from teh same substance as our universe so not strictly allowing for an 'end'.
Some suggest that in 'perfect equilibrium' space and time have no meaning, and our entire 'universe' becomes in effect a seed or component of a new universe (because at the same time it is infinite and infinitesimal).
Some suggest that the universe can't contract to 'nothing' and thus a new expansion has to occur at some point.
Some suggest our universe is the intersection of two or more dimensions beyond our perception and their relationship provided the injection of energy that formed our universe. This doesn't address whether it ends (but suggests more energy could be transferred as a kick start), but it does provide for multiple concurrent universes existing within a larger dimensional framework, and continual creation of new ones.


Update: I believe this (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vdkmj)was the program I saw.

Also some interesting articles here at New Scientist (http://www.newscientist.com/special/big-bang) including the never ending inflation / deflation model.

And to whoever bizarrely neg-repped me for 'not knowing what I'm talking about' guess what? I'm not an astro physicist! And they're not even sure what they're talking about! But if you think you know more, how about growing a pair and discussing it in the thread?