Static Universe vs Expanding Universe

[Grove1996]

Hey

I'm 16 and currently studying my last year of physics in high school. I have to write an extended research task on a topic relating directly or indirectly to astrophysics. I have chosen to do the static universe theory vs the expanding universe theory. I've been researching as of late and have thought of a few major points to discuss. Basically throughout the essay I am to talk about both the theories, and show why and how the universe is expanding. Here are the topics I want to discuss:

-The static universe theory and the physics behind it
-Mentioning how einstein added a gravitational constant to all his equations, however this was wrong
-Translate into the importance of edwin Hubble and a few others who discovered the universe was expanding (the relationship between redshifts and distance)
-Talk about Hubbles law and the dopler effect

I would like to have at least one more topic to discuss. Is there something major that I'm missing in there. I'm only 16 so excuse my lack of knowledge regarding the subject. Any help would be much appreciated. I don't expect anyone to post up information for me to use, but if you could just list a topic I can research it on my own.

Regards,
Grove1996

 

[WannabeNewton]

Well I don't know how much math you know personally but try to put some details in on the instability of the static universe.

 

[Mordred]

If your looking for another topic of the same time era that will show the view points of cosmology of that same era I would suggest the great debate



http://apod.nasa.gov/diamond_jubilee/1920/cs_nrc.html



http://apod.nasa.gov/diamond_jubilee/1920/cs_real.html

http://apod.nasa.gov/diamond_jubilee/debate20.html

the third link is the site itself the second link is The great debate what really happened.

One of the items they were adressing concerned galaxies which at the time were considered Nebulae. You will also notice that their measurements were extremely off the mark.

This site should provide lots of insight into the 20's

 

[mrspeedybob]

Stanford University / Lenard Susskind have an outstanding series of cosmology lectures on youtube. This may well turn out to be your #1 resource.

 

[Grove1996]

Thanks for the help guys, appreciate it a lot. I'll have a look at all the videos :)

 

[Bobbywhy]

One more example of historical evidence, written by Hubble himself, from the above mentioned series: http://apod.nasa.gov/diamond_jubilee/d_1996/hub_1929.html

Just as a historical note: Hubble and Humason did NOT say that red-shifted “nebulae” were receding from us. See this quotation:
“Mr. Humason and I are both deeply sensible of your gracious appreciation of the papers on velocities and distances of nebulae. We use the term ‘apparent’ velocities to emphasize the empirical features of the correlation. The interpretation, we feel, should be left to you and the very few others who are competent to discuss the matter with authority.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Hubble

 

[Bobbywhy]

Here are two sources you can use for explaining the Doppler effect:

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves/u10l3d.cfm
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/doppler/doppler.html