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Upon what false assumptions is Olbers' paradox based?

A) The universe is static, infinitely old, and unchanging
B) The universe is expanding and finite
C) Stars emit infinite light
D) The night sky is never truly dark

User Kolin
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Olbers' paradox is based on outdated beliefs that the universe is infinite, static, and forever unchanging. The accepted solution suggests that the universe has been expanding since the Big Bang and this expansion, along with the finite age of the universe, contributes to a dark night sky.

Step-by-step explanation:

Olbers' paradox is based upon the false assumptions that the universe is static, infinitely old, and unchanging. This paradox raises the question of why the night sky is dark if the universe is infinite and every line of sight should intersect with a star. The commonly accepted evolution of the universe as a solution to this paradox indicates that the universe is expanding and that it began with the Big Bang, about 13.8 billion years ago. This expansion means that not all light has had enough time to reach us, and the universe is not unchanging but has evolved from a very hot and dense initial state. Furthermore, the steady-state cosmology model has been disproved with evidence such as the cosmic microwave background radiation, which shows that the universe was once much different than it is now, and the expansion of the universe is accelerated by dark energy.

User Jason R
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