Size of the universe: Difference between revisions
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<onlyinclude>The '''size of the universe''' refers to the relative size of the universe and entities contained within it.</onlyinclude> The universe is vast; it | <onlyinclude>The '''size of the universe''' refers to the relative size of the universe and entities contained within it.</onlyinclude> The universe is vast; it has been expanding for almost [[timescale of the universe|13.8 billion years]] at a considerable fraction of the [[speed of light]],<ref>For some interesting reading please see: http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_expansion.html</ref> so it is roughly 13 billion [[light year]]s across. This means that the universe is ~1.3 x 10<sup>26</sup> [[meter|m]] across. For a reference of size, humans are usually under 2 m tall, [[atom]]s are approximately 10<sup>-10</sup> m across, and [[nucleus|nuclei]] are approximately 10<sup>-15</sup> m across.<ref>Sears and Zemanski's University Physics, 13th edition by Young and Freedman. Addison Wesley, 2010. Chapter 43, pg 1440.</ref> There is a difference of a factor of 10<sup>41</sup> between the universe and a nucleus, which can be written out as 100 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000, a number so large it is hard to wrap one's head around. | ||
Here are some useful on-line tools that compare the sizes of various objects in the universe: | |||
*The King Centre for visualization in science<ref> http://www.kcvs.ca/site/projects/astronomy.html</ref>, specifically their [http://www.kcvs.ca/site/projects/astronomy_files/power10/powers10.swf scale of the cosmos] | *The King Centre for visualization in science<ref> http://www.kcvs.ca/site/projects/astronomy.html</ref>, specifically their [http://www.kcvs.ca/site/projects/astronomy_files/power10/powers10.swf scale of the cosmos] | ||
*The htwins [http://htwins.net/scale2/ project] (click on the start button and then click on the notes to mute the music) | *The htwins [http://htwins.net/scale2/ project] (click on the start button and then click on the notes to mute the music) | ||
*Hyperphysics has a nice analogy [http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nuclear/nucuni.html#c2 here] that helps scale the size of the universe. | *Hyperphysics has a nice analogy [http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nuclear/nucuni.html#c2 here] that helps scale the size of the universe. | ||
Here | |||
Here is a video from IMAX cosmic voyage which demonstrates size comparisons between various entities (music from "The Matrix" movie-trilogy and "Awake" by Jake Kaufman): | |||
<html> | <html> | ||
<iframe width="809" height="400" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bhofN1xX6u0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> | <iframe width="809" height="400" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bhofN1xX6u0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> | ||
</html> | </html> | ||
Please [http://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Special:Contact contact us] with other tools showing the size of the universe in | Please [http://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Special:Contact contact us] with other tools showing the size of the universe in interesting ways. | ||
==For Further Reading== | |||
*[[Fundamental force]] | |||
*[[Big Bang]] | |||
*[[Atom]] | |||
*[[Nucleus]] | |||
*Or explore a [[Special:Random|random page]] | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Uploaded]] | [[Category:Uploaded]] | ||
Revision as of 17:14, 13 June 2018
The size of the universe refers to the relative size of the universe and entities contained within it. The universe is vast; it has been expanding for almost 13.8 billion years at a considerable fraction of the speed of light,[1] so it is roughly 13 billion light years across. This means that the universe is ~1.3 x 1026 m across. For a reference of size, humans are usually under 2 m tall, atoms are approximately 10-10 m across, and nuclei are approximately 10-15 m across.[2] There is a difference of a factor of 1041 between the universe and a nucleus, which can be written out as 100 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000, a number so large it is hard to wrap one's head around.
Here are some useful on-line tools that compare the sizes of various objects in the universe:
- The King Centre for visualization in science[3], specifically their scale of the cosmos
- The htwins project (click on the start button and then click on the notes to mute the music)
- Hyperphysics has a nice analogy here that helps scale the size of the universe.
Here is a video from IMAX cosmic voyage which demonstrates size comparisons between various entities (music from "The Matrix" movie-trilogy and "Awake" by Jake Kaufman):
Please contact us with other tools showing the size of the universe in interesting ways.
For Further Reading
- Fundamental force
- Big Bang
- Atom
- Nucleus
- Or explore a random page
References
- ↑ For some interesting reading please see: http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_expansion.html
- ↑ Sears and Zemanski's University Physics, 13th edition by Young and Freedman. Addison Wesley, 2010. Chapter 43, pg 1440.
- ↑ http://www.kcvs.ca/site/projects/astronomy.html