Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how the creation of the universe has been a controversial topic since its inception and how scientists now accept the 'big bang theory' as the most likely origin of the universe. It also looks at how there are other theories, such as the steady state theory,
that also endeavor to explain our existence. The paper attempts to show that although both theories share certain bases such as the violation of the first law of thermodynamics, the big bang theory is the more probable theory as to how the universe formed.

From the Paper:

"The Big Bang is believed to have happened 13.7 billion years ago, marking the beginning of space and time. It suggested that the universe violently exploded into existence, and it continued to expand and cool, condensing and growing in both size and temperature, eventually forming the universe we know today. To this day, the universe continues to expand. The Big Bang theory has quite a bit of evidence backing it up, such as Hubble's Law- suggesting that the universe is constantly expanding and compacting through time. Or the discovery of Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, both radio-astronomers, that 2.735 Kelvin CMB radiation can be found in the universe, a leftover of the Big Bang. Also, the sheer amount of large 'light elements' such as hydrogen and helium in combination to form deuterium, which is believed to be created at the Big Bang. This evidence led scientists to accept the Big Bang theory as the most probable origin of the universe.
"

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Big Bang or Steady State? (Cosmology: Ideas)." The American Institute of Physics -- Physics Publications and Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2010. <http://www.aip.org/history/cosmology/ideas/bigbang.htm>.
• "Big Bang vs. Steady State: Scientific American." Science News, Articles and Information | Scientific American. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2010. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=big-bang-vs-steady-state>.
• Guth, Alan H., and Alan P. Lightman. The Inflationary Universe: The Quest for a New Theory of Cosmic Origins. New York: Perseus Books Group, 1998. Print.
• Scott , Douglas, and Martin White. "Cosmic Microwave Background - Introduction." Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of British Columbia. N.p., 10 Feb. 2000. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. <http://www.astro.ubc.ca/people/scott/cmb_intro.html>.
• "Steady State Cosmology: A Cosmological Alternative to the Big Bang Theory." Astrophysics. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Mar. 2010. <http://astrophysics.suite101.com/article.cfm/steady_state_cosmology>.

Visitors who viewed this Comparison Essay also liked these:

• Term Paper # 150194 : "The Origins of the Universe"
• Essay # 89526 : "The Big Bang and The Birth of The Universe"
• Essay # 40380 : "The Origins of the Earth"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: