Janchetna Catalogue 2018

Running head: DARK ENERGY: SPACE MYSTERY 1
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follows the APA format.
Dark Energy: Space Mystery
Adele Hill
Ms. Sheehan
Written Communications II
March 22, 2020
This file created specifically for Rajinder Maan

DARK ENERGY: SPACE MYSTERY 2
Abstract
This paper explores our understanding of dark energy in space. The paper will outline the
possible origins of dark energy and will also discuss the implications of our limited
understanding of dark energy.

DARK ENERGY: SPACE MYSTERY
Overview
Cosmologists, astrophysicists, and other scientists study the origin and the fate of the
universe. The prevailing theory is that the universe began with the Big Bang, an explosion that
released massive amounts of energy, and has been expanding since then. However, galaxies,
stars, and other cosmic bodies with mass obey the laws of gravity and keep the parts of the
universe together. Although the universe is expanding, the force of gravity is slowing the rate of
expansion, preventing a Big Rip (Merali, 2013).
In 1998, the Hubble Space Telescope captured images of very distant stars called supernovae
for the first time. The images showed that many millennia ago, the universe was expanding more
slowly than it is today. Gravity was not slowing the expansion of the universe, as scientists
thought, but for an unknown reason, the universe was expanding more rapidly. Scientists did not
know how to explain this observation, but they did know something had to be causing the
accelerating expansion.
Origins
Physicists now call this antigravity force dark energy (Shu, 2018, p. 10). What exactly is dark
energy? “Dark energy is the biggest puzzle of modern physics. No one agrees where dark energy
comes from, how it works, or if it actually exists,” explains astrophysicist Ed Shu.
Scientists now offer four possible explanations for dark energy:
1. Cosmological constant – This theory is related to Albert Einstein’s prediction that
seemingly empty space can have its own energy. Because this energy is a characteristic
of space itself, it would not be diluted as the universe expands, but would remain as a

cosmological constant. Later scientists applied Einstein’s idea to dark energy, explaining
that it has been steady and constant throughout time and will remain that way.
2. Quantum theory – Scientists speculate that space is full of temporary, or virtual, particles
that continually form and disappear, generating energy. When scientists calculated how
much energy this process contributes to space, the results were incorrect, adding to the
mystery of dark energy.
3. Fluid theory – This idea says that dynamic energy fluid called quintessence fills space
and has properties opposite to matter and normal energy. However, scientists do not
know what the fluid is like, what it interacts with, or why it exists.
4. Theory of gravity – Einstein’s theory of gravity could be incorrect. Instead of gravity
pulling all matter together, dark energy might affect matter in a different way. However,
Einstein’s theory of gravity accurately describes the motion of bodies in the solar system,
so it should not be discarded yet.
In short, dark energy is a mystery that requires study, observation, and data to understand. Commented [KR2]: I added a sentence to sum up the
numbered list.
Impacts Commented [RSM3R2]: Good idea.
Commented [RSM4R2]:
While trying to understand dark energy and the nature of the universe with sophisticated
telescopes, scientists have concluded that all the stars and galaxies they see in the sky constitute
only 5 percent of the observable universe, according to an article in Cosmos Research (Brown,
2014).
Furthermore, of the invisible parts of the universe, 68 percent is dark energy and 27 percent is
dark matter, another mysterious force or substance (Merali, 2013, p. 25). Scientists are not
certain what dark matter is, but they know it is dark. In other words, it does not appear in the
form of stars and planets that we can see, nor does it take the form of dark clouds of normal

matter because dark matter does not absorb radiation. It is not antimatter because antimatter
involves gamma rays and dark matter does not. Finally, dark matter is not related to black holes,
regions of space with intense gravitational fields that no matter or radiation can resist (NASA
Science Committee, 2015).
The mysteries of dark energy and dark matter indicate that the universe might be configured in a
way scientist have not yet considered. According to the Space Telescope Science Institute, “The
strangeness of dark energy is thrilling” (Space Telescope Science Institute, 2020). Similar
puzzles have fueled past scientific inquiry. Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity was proposed
in part to solve a mystery involving the orbits of the planet Mercury. The origins of quantum
physics can be traced to a puzzle about how heat is radiated. The enigma of dark energy could
lead to similar discoveries. As the astronaut Neil Armstrong said, “Mystery creates wonder and
wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.”

References
Brown, P. (2014). Dark Universe. Consmos Research, 130-135.
Merali, Z. (2013, April 17). What Does Dark Energy Mean for the Fate of the Universe?
Discover, pp. 24-30.
NASA Science Committee. (2015, June 5). NASA Astrophysics. Retrieved March 15, 2020, from
NASA: http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics
Shu, E. (2018, July 30). Dark Energy. Discover, pp. 10-12.
Space Telescope Science Institute. (2020, January 15). What Is Dark Energy? Retrieved March
12, 2020, from HubbleSite: http://hubblesite.org/

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Running head: DARK ENERGY: SPACE MYSTERY 1

Commented [RSM1]: Please make sure this

Dark Energy: Space Mystery

March 22, 2020

This file created specifically for Rajinder Maan

understanding of dark energy.

This file created specifically for Rajinder Maan

DARK ENERGY: SPACE MYSTERY

expansion, preventing a Big Rip (Merali, 2013).

comes from, how it works, or if it actually exists,” explains astrophysicist Ed Shu.

Scientists now offer four possible explanations for dark energy:

1. Cosmological constant – This theory is related to Albert Einstein’s prediction that

This file created specifically for Rajinder Maan

mystery of dark energy.

4. Theory of gravity – Einstein’s theory of gravity could be incorrect. Instead of gravity

so it should not be discarded yet.

This file created specifically for Rajinder Maan

Science Committee, 2015).

wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.”

This file created specifically for Rajinder Maan

Brown, P. (2014). Dark Universe. Consmos Research, 130-135.

Discover, pp. 24-30.

Shu, E. (2018, July 30). Dark Energy. Discover, pp. 10-12.

12, 2020, from HubbleSite: http://hubblesite.org/

This file created specifically for Rajinder Maan

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