Is the Universe really infinite/absolute 0

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In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of the universe being infinite and the average temperature of the universe, which is currently measured to be around 2.73 kelvin. There is no evidence to support the idea of the universe being infinite, and the observable universe is considered to be finite. The concept of homogeneity is also brought up, questioning why the average temperature would vary in different volumes of space.
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mcafej
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Ok, so I was just thinking about this today. First off, I was thinking about absolute zero, and how they say it's impossible, but then I thought about what the average temp. of the universe is. According to several internet sources, the current average temp is about 2.73 kelvin. I was wondering, how is that possible if the universe is infinite if the average temperature is above 0 (because you would end up getting all the temperatures over the area, which is infinite, so you would end with an average temp of 0)?
 
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  • #2
There is no evidence that the universe is infinite. The observable universe, which is the part that we can see and interact with, is clearly finite.
 
  • #3
mcafej said:
Ok, so I was just thinking about this today. First off, I was thinking about absolute zero, and how they say it's impossible, but then I thought about what the average temp. of the universe is. According to several internet sources, the current average temp is about 2.73 kelvin. I was wondering, how is that possible if the universe is infinite if the average temperature is above 0 (because you would end up getting all the temperatures over the area, which is infinite, so you would end with an average temp of 0)?

There is zero evidence either way as to whether or not the universe is infinite or finite, but what difference does it make? Given homogeneity, why would you expect the average for one big volume (say the size of the observable universe) to be different than another big volume?
 

1. Is the Universe really infinite?

This is a question that has puzzled scientists and philosophers for centuries. The current scientific consensus is that the Universe is indeed infinite in size. This means that it has no boundaries or edges and goes on forever. However, our observable Universe is limited by the speed of light and the age of the Universe, so we can only see a small portion of the infinite Universe.

2. What evidence supports the idea of an infinite Universe?

One of the main pieces of evidence for an infinite Universe is the fact that it appears to be flat on a large scale. This means that parallel lines will never meet, indicating that the Universe has no boundaries. Additionally, observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation also support the idea of an infinite Universe.

3. How does the concept of absolute zero tie into the idea of an infinite Universe?

Absolute zero is the lowest possible temperature, at which all molecular motion stops. In an infinite Universe, it is believed that there are an infinite number of particles, and therefore, there will always be some molecules with non-zero motion, even at absolute zero. This ties into the idea of an infinite Universe because it suggests that the Universe is constantly expanding and evolving.

4. Is there a limit to how small temperatures can get in the Universe?

While absolute zero is considered the lowest possible temperature, there is no theoretical limit to how small temperatures can get in the Universe. In fact, scientists have created ultra-cold temperatures in laboratories, approaching absolute zero. However, it is believed that the temperature of the Universe as a whole will continue to decrease as it expands and cools.

5. How does the concept of an infinite Universe impact our understanding of time?

In an infinite Universe, time is also believed to be infinite. This means that the Universe has no beginning or end, and time will continue on forever. This concept challenges our traditional understanding of time, which is based on a linear progression. In an infinite Universe, time may be cyclical or constant, and our human perception of time may be limited by our finite existence within the Universe.

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