ASTRO 142 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Electromagnetism, James Clerk Maxwell, Cosmological Principle
Document Summary
Physical universe is the universe of material objects, of energy, of space and of time. Contains all that is physical, including all things that are observed. Time and space play a role in the laws of nature, independent of humans. Initial conditions the description of how things were at the earliest possible moment. Anthropic principle states that the conditions we observe in the universe must be compatible with our own existence. Strong anthropic principle states that the initial conditions occurred because we are here. Center of the universe has a special place in human knowledge. Copernican principle moved the center of the universe from the earth to the sun. It emphasized that the the earth or the solar system did not hold a special place in the universe. Isotropy is the property of uniformity in all directions. Homogeneity is the property of similarity of all locations. Cosmological principle states that the universe is homogenous and isotropic.
