Cosmology: Understanding the Evolution of the Universe
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 EARLY UNDERSTANDING Ancient Ideas Claudius Ptolemy Science Approaches the Problem The Copernican Principle 20 24 25 31 31 38 CHAPTER 2 CoSMOLOGY IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY Albert Einstein Another Revolution in Cosmology The Cosmological Constant The Expanding Universe Edwin Powell Hubble The Uniform Universe 39 39 41 46 48 49 CHAPTER 3 LOOKING BACKARD THE BIG BANG Friedmann Lemaitre and Gamow Models Predictions of the Big Bang Theory Antimatter Evidence for the Big Bang Theory Cosmic Background Explorer COBE 53 54 56 58
63 65 CHAPTER 4 LOOKING FORWARD THE FATE OF THE UNIVERSE Difficulties and Their Solutions Inflation Dark Matter WIMPs Dark Energy and the Runaway Universe 66 69 O 78 CONCLUSION GLOSSARY FOR MORE INFORMATION FOR FURTHER READING INDEX 82 85 86
