GCSE Physics Revision — Red-Shift & Big Bang
Revise Red-Shift & Big Bang for GCSE Physics with a topic explanation, worked example and common mistakes. Check the board notes for specification differences.
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What is Red-Shift & Big Bang?
Red-shift is the observed increase in the wavelength of light from distant galaxies. It is evidence that the galaxies are moving away from us. The further away a galaxy is, the greater its red-shift, which means it is moving away faster. This observation supports the Big Bang theory, which states that the universe began from a very hot, dense point and has been expanding ever since.
Board notes: A Higher Tier topic for all major GCSE Physics boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR). The evidence for the Big Bang theory (red-shift and CMBR) is crucial.
Step-by-step explanationWorked examples
Worked example
Light from a distant galaxy is observed to be red-shifted. What does this tell us about the galaxy? Solution: The red-shift of the light tells us that the galaxy is moving away from us. By measuring the amount of red-shift, we can calculate the speed at which it is receding.
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Common mistakes
- 1Confusing red-shift with the Doppler effect for sound. The principle is similar, but red-shift applies to light.
- 2Thinking that red-shift means the light is red. It means the light is shifted towards the red end of the spectrum (longer wavelength).
- 3Not understanding the link between red-shift and the Big Bang. The observation that distant galaxies are moving away from us in all directions implies that the universe is expanding from a single point.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Big Bang theory?
The Big Bang theory is the leading scientific theory for how the universe began. It proposes that the universe started as an extremely hot, dense point about 13.8 billion years ago and has been expanding and cooling ever since.
What is cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR)?
CMBR is faint microwave radiation that is present throughout the universe. It is considered to be the leftover heat from the Big Bang and is one of the strongest pieces of evidence for the theory.