Theory of the end of the universe

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a theory regarding the ultimate fate of the universe, positing that gravity could eventually pull all matter into a singularity, despite the universe's ongoing expansion. Participants agree that while gravity can dominate on smaller scales, such as superclusters, the overall expansion of the universe, driven by dark energy, prevails on larger scales. The conversation references the life cycle of stars, the formation of black holes, and the role of gravity in cosmic structures. The theory raises questions about the balance between gravitational forces and the universe's expansion.

PREREQUISITES
  • Basic understanding of astrophysics concepts, including gravity and cosmic expansion.
  • Familiarity with the life cycle of stars and the formation of black holes.
  • Knowledge of superclusters and their role in the structure of the universe.
  • Awareness of dark energy and its impact on cosmic expansion.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the role of dark energy in cosmic expansion.
  • Explore the concept of gravitational binding in superclusters.
  • Study the life cycle of stars and the formation of black holes.
  • Investigate current theories on the ultimate fate of the universe, including the Big Crunch and Heat Death scenarios.
USEFUL FOR

Astronomy enthusiasts, astrophysicists, and anyone interested in cosmology and the future of the universe will benefit from this discussion.

jtg05f
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Hello everyone, thanks for clicking on my thread, as the title states, I have a theory of the end of the universe. I would first like to state that this theory was just an idea i had that seemed to make sense to me at the time, however I have little knowledge about physics other than it's just a hobby, so if my theory is stupid just say so and let me know if this has already been discussed. That being said, let's get to it.

So the universe started with a bang, and then there was hydrogen. Gravity pulled the atoms together to make the first stars. The first stars died releasing other elements and the process starts over. The left over were used to create planets, moons, and everything else. When the stars died some created black holes. Some black holes became so massive they began to pull together solar systems to make galaxies. This is where we stand.

The common theme in all of this is that gravity pulls things together to make more massive and dense things. So why would it stop there? Why wouldn't gravity just eventually pull everything together into one infinitely massive black hole?

The only problem I can see with this is that the universe is expanding, so what I'm asking is could the gravity of some object be so great it counter act the force of the expansion?
 
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The amount of energy in expansion is greater then the gravitational energy therefore it is impossible to stop expansion.
 
Some black holes became so massive they began to pull together solar systems to make galaxies.
Nope, galaxies don't need black holes to exist. Nonetheless, in most galaxies is a fat black hole at the center.
The only problem I can see with this is that the universe is expanding, so what I'm asking is could the gravity of some object be so great it counter act the force of the expansion?
Exactly. Up to the size of superclusters, gravity wins and keeps things from expanding. (They aren't really collapsing neither, because they can't get rid of their motion.) On larger scales, expansion wins.
This process is known as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_formation" .
 
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