DP Physics Questionbank
D.3 – Cosmology
Description
Nature of science:
Occam’s Razor: The Big Bang model was purely speculative until it was confirmed by the discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation. The model, while correctly describing many aspects of the universe as we observe it today, still cannot explain what happened at time zero. (2.7)
Understandings:
- The Big Bang model
- Cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation
- Hubble’s law
- The accelerating universe and redshift (z)
- The cosmic scale factor (R)
Applications and skills:
- Describing both space and time as originating with the Big Bang
- Describing the characteristics of the CMB radiation
- Explaining how the CMB radiation is evidence for a Hot Big Bang
- Solving problems involving z, R and Hubble’s law
- Estimating the age of the universe by assuming a constant expansion rate
Guidance:
- CMB radiation will be considered to be isotropic with
- For CMB radiation a simple explanation in terms of the universe cooling down or distances (and hence wavelengths) being stretched out is all that is required
- A qualitative description of the role of type Ia supernovae as providing evidence for an accelerating universe is required
Data booklet reference:
International-mindedness:
- Contributions from scientists from many nations made the analysis of the cosmic microwave background radiation possible
Utilization:
- Doppler effect (see Physics sub-topic 9.5)
Aims:
- Aim 1: scientific explanation of black holes requires a heightened level of creativity
- Aim 9: our limit of understanding is guided by our ability to observe within our universe
Directly related questions
- 18M.3.SL.TZ1.12b: Estimate, in Mpc, the distance between the galaxy and the Earth.
- 18M.3.SL.TZ1.12a: Explain how international collaboration has helped to refine this value.
- 18M.3.SL.TZ2.12c: On the graph, one galaxy is labelled A. Determine the size of the universe, relative to its...
- 18M.3.SL.TZ2.12b: Identify the assumption that you made in your answer to (a).
- 18M.3.SL.TZ2.12a: Estimate, using the data, the age of the universe. Give your answer in seconds.
- 17N.3.SL.TZ0.13b: Determine the velocity of the galaxy relative to Earth.
- 17N.3.SL.TZ0.13a: Outline one reason for the difference in wavelength.
- 17M.3.SL.TZ2.12c.i: Determine the distance to the galaxy in Mpc.
- 17M.3.SL.TZ2.12b: State two features of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation which are consistent with...
- 17M.3.SL.TZ2.12a: Describe what is meant by the Big Bang model of the universe.
- 17M.3.SL.TZ1.10c.ii: Estimate the size of the Universe relative to its present size when the light was emitted by the...
- 17M.3.SL.TZ1.10c.i: Determine the distance to this galaxy using a value for the Hubble constant of H0 = 68 km...
- 17M.3.SL.TZ1.10b: Describe how the CMB provides evidence for the Hot Big Bang model of the universe.
- 17M.3.SL.TZ1.10a.i: State two characteristics of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation.
- 16N.3.SL.TZ0.17b: A spectral line in the hydrogen spectrum measured in the laboratory today has a wavelength of...
- 16N.3.SL.TZ0.17a: Identify two other characteristics of the CMB radiation that are predicted from the Hot Big Bang...
- 16M.3.SL.TZ0.14b: Explain how cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation provides support for the Hot Big Bang model.
- 16M.3.SL.TZ0.14a: Light reaching Earth from quasar 3C273 has z=0.16. (i) Outline what is meant by z. (ii)...
- 15M.3.HL.TZ1.5a: The light from distant galaxies is red-shifted. Explain how this red-shift arises.
- 15M.3.HL.TZ1.5b: The graph shows the variation of recession speed with distance from Earth for some galactic...
- 15M.3.SL.TZ2.15b: Red-shift of light from distant galaxies provides evidence for an expanding universe. (i) State...
- 15M.3.SL.TZ2.15a: State what is meant by the expansion of the universe.
- 15M.3.HL.TZ2.5a: A galaxy a distance d away emits light of wavelength λ. Show that the shift in wavelength Δλ, as...
- 15M.3.HL.TZ2.5b: Light of wavelength 620 nm is emitted from a distant galaxy. The shift in wavelength measured on...
- 15N.3.HL.TZ0.3b.i: calculate the distance of this galaxy from Earth.
- 15N.3.HL.TZ0.3b.ii: discuss why different measurements of the Hubble constant do not agree with each other.
- 15N.3.HL.TZ0.1c: Discuss whether Hubble’s Law can be used to determine reliably the distance from Earth to this star.
- 14M.3.HL.TZ1.4a: (i) State, in terms of the arrangement of galaxies, the present large-scale distribution of mass...
- 14M.3.HL.TZ1.4b: State and explain the observational evidence for your answer to (a)(ii).
- 15N.3.SL.TZ0.16b: Suggest how the discovery of the CMB in the microwave region contradicts Newton’s assumption of...
- 15N.3.SL.TZ0.16a: Show that this corresponds to a temperature around 3 K.
- 14N.3.HL.TZ0.5a: Estimate, in seconds, the age of the universe.
- 14N.3.HL.TZ0.5b: The wavelength of the lines in the absorption spectrum of hydrogen is 656.3 nm when measured on...
- 14N.3.SL.TZ0.16b: In 1965, Penzias and Wilson discovered cosmic radiation with a wavelength that corresponded to a...
- 14M.3.HL.TZ2.5a: Suggest why the two wavelengths are different.
- 14M.3.HL.TZ2.5b: Determine the distance to this galaxy from Earth using a Hubble constant of...
- 14M.3.SL.TZ2.14a: State two characteristics of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. 1. 2.
- 14M.3.SL.TZ2.14b: Explain how CMB radiation is evidence for the Big Bang model of an expanding universe.
- 13M.3.HL.TZ1.5a: The fractional change in wavelength of the radio signals from galaxy A is 9.4×10–3. Calculate,...
- 13M.3.HL.TZ2.4a: State Hubble’s law.
- 13M.3.HL.TZ2.4b: Light from the galaxy M31 received on Earth shows a blue-shift corresponding to a fractional...
- 12M.3.HL.TZ1.4a: State (i) Hubble’s law. (ii) the significance of the reciprocal of the Hubble constant.
- 12M.3.HL.TZ1.4b: The wavelength of a certain line in the hydrogen spectrum is measured to be 434 nm in the...
- 11M.3.HL.TZ2.4a: Outline the measurements that must be taken in order to determine a value for the Hubble constant.
- 11M.3.HL.TZ2.4b: One estimate of the Hubble constant is 60 km s–1 Mpc–1. Cygnus A is a radio galaxy at a distance...
- 11N.3.SL.TZ0.12a: Light from distant galaxies, as seen by an observer on Earth, shows a red-shift. Outline why this...
- 11N.3.HL.TZ0.3b: The wavelength of a line in the spectrum of atomic hydrogen, as measured in the laboratory, is...
- 11N.3.HL.TZ0.3a: State Hubble’s law.
- 12M.3.HL.TZ2.3c: The blue line in the spectrum of atomic hydrogen as measured in the laboratory is 490 nm. The...
- 12N.3.HL.TZ0.5b: An estimate of the age of the universe is \(\frac{1}{H}\) where H is the Hubble constant. Suggest...
- 12M.3.HL.TZ2.3a: State Hubble’s law.
- 12N.3.SL.TZ0.16b: Outline one piece of experimental evidence that supports the fact that the universe is expanding.
- 12N.3.HL.TZ0.5a: The fractional change in the wavelength λ of light from the galaxy Hydra is...
- 12M.3.HL.TZ2.3b: Measured values of the Hubble constant can vary between 40 kms–1 Mpc–1 and 90 kms–1 Mpc–1. State...
- 13N.3.HL.TZ0.3a: (i) On the axes, sketch a graph to show how the recessional speed v of a galaxy varies with...
- 11M.3.SL.TZ1.15a: State how the observed red-shift of many galaxies is explained.
- 11M.3.SL.TZ1.15b: Explain how the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation is consistent with the Big Bang model.
- 11M.3.SL.TZ1.15c: Calculate the temperature of the universe when the peak wavelength of the CMB was equal to the...
- 11M.3.HL.TZ1.5a: (i) State Hubble’s law. (ii) State why Hubble’s law cannot be used to determine the distance...
- 11M.3.HL.TZ1.5b: (i) Show that \(\frac{1}{{{H_0}}}\) is an estimate of the age of the universe, where H0 is the...
- 10N.3.HL.TZ0.E2d: State one problem associated with using Hubble’s law to determine the distance of a galaxy a...
- 10N.3.HL.TZ0.E2c: Many galaxies are a great distance from Earth. Explain, with reference to Hubble’s law, how the...
- 10N.3.SL.TZ0.E2a: Describe what is meant by the Big Bang model.
- 10N.3.SL.TZ0.E2b: (i) Explain how the CMB is consistent with the Big Bang model. (ii) State why the...
