Readings

Read Chapters 4 of The Inflationary Universe and Chapter 3 of the First Three Minutes

Homework 8

Due Friday April 16

The questions are based on the readings

1. What were the original motivations for the experiment of Penzias and Wilson?
2. Summarize the unexpected results of their experiment.
3. What is the frequency of an electromagnetic wave (light) of wavelength 7.35 cm? What is the energy of a photon of this frequency?
4. Why did Peebles think that an enormous amount of radiation during the first minutes of the universe was necessary?
5. Summarize the results of the COBE experiment.

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