Expanding Universe alt theory?

C

Charlie

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My knowledge though lacking is not without question of the simple answers set be forth me in my everyday school science lessons, it is without question that most learn and remember that which is most likely proven by science which at our level could not be understood. Though what I doubt and to some extent do not with all my full understanding grasp and take in is that which I can with the same evidence given for ones design give another explanation.

For example in this case I shall try to explain my theory most likely untrue but possible with the evidence and knowledge I have... that red-shift is caused by the expanding universe and the distances between galaxy's, however if said the shrinking of an atom, though physical properties staying the same and relative, the distance would appear larger between galaxy's and red shift would still occur.

I'm only 15 and so almost 100% percent wrong, just wondering if you can tell me why and how though.
The question is: Why am I wrong with my alt theory?
 
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Never Mind Delta V. I saw a question even if they didn't!

I'm not totally sure what you're getting at though. Are you suggesting that an object becoming smaller could produce the red shift effect seen in the photons it gives off?
The types of atomic compression we see in astrophysics usually come in 3 flavours. Electron degeneracy (the eventual fate of our sun when it becomes a white dwarf), a neutron star, and a black hole. These various forms of compression should also display a similar red shift pattern if this were the case. They don't however.

What we can say with fair certainty is that the laws of physics apply everywhere in the universe the same. An atom of hydrogen here on earth is identical to an atom 13 billion light years away. They behave in the same way and are predictable - at least at the macro scale. I think the nuclear strong force within atoms would prevent some sort of resizing. I can't really see any way this is possible.

If space was in some way distorted as to make things dimensionally smaller, then I am not sure what this would do to the light emitted and whether it would red shift under the said effect. I'll give benefit of the doubt and say it would. The problem then to overcome though is the regularity and consistency with which red-shifting occurs. It forms a big red sphere around us, becoming more and more shifted the further out you get. If you look at one side of the night sky to see a 3 billion LY shift, it's the same as on the other side of the sky for 3 billion LY. It's consistent. (although I should note you get some variance as some objects move towards or away on their own drift which can mildly affect red shift for closer galaxies. That's how we know for instance that Andromeda is on a collision course with the Milky Way - it's blue shifted)

If there was some form of ad hoc dimensional compression or resizing of the atom would it retain this regularity? Would you not get some things very red shifted in front of things not shifted at all? This never happens. Via Occam's razor, when left with 2 alternatives, you pick the simplest explanation. Red shift due to expansion needs little amendment to our physics. atomic shrinking on the other hand creates a whole new headache currently incompatible with atomic theory!

Hope that helps!
 
If everything was getting smaller, you wouldn't see a redshift that suggests things farther away are receding faster.

You also have problems with the various forces (strong and weak nuclear, electromagnetic, gravity) not working out mathematically if everything is shrinking. (Let's use gravity, for example).

Gravity is based on the mass and distance of something. Double the mass, double the gravity. But, the distance follows the inverse square rule. Double the distance, and quarter the gravity. 10x the distance, and 1/100th the gravity.

So, if everything is shrinking, "getting closer together" then its surface gravity is increasing at the rate of shrinkage, squared.
 
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