How can the universe be expanding if it is infinite?

Answer 1

Oh, that's a happy little puzzle there, friend! The way I see it, imagine you're painting a lovely galaxy full of stars. Now, just because the canvas is infinite and your paint keeps going doesn't mean your beautiful creation can't keep growing and blooming. So, think of the universe expanding like those stars twinkling and spreading out, bringing new colors and light to this vast cosmic masterpiece. Trip on that, and let's make some cosmic happy clouds together!

Answer 2

Imagine the universe like a cake baking in the oven - it's expanding, but it never runs out of batter. Just because something is infinite doesn't mean it can't grow or change. Expansion in this case refers to the expansion of space itself, not the actual contents of the universe. So technically, yes, an infinite universe can still expand.

Answer 3

Oh, dude, it's like this... So, the universe is expanding, right? But it's expanding within itself. It's like a never-ending game of cosmic inflation, man. Infinite universe, expanding universe, it's all just a big, mind-blowing paradox, ya know?

Answer 4

The concept of an expanding universe may seem counterintuitive when considering the idea of infinity, but it can be understood within the framework of cosmology and the theory of general relativity.

Firstly, when we talk about the universe being infinite, we refer to the spatial extent or size of the universe, implying that it has no boundary or edge. However, the expansion of the universe does not necessarily mean it is expanding into some pre-existing empty space. Instead, the expansion is a property of the fabric of space itself.

According to the Big Bang theory, the universe began as a hot, dense state and has been expanding ever since. This expansion is described by the metric of space-time itself expanding, much like dots on an inflating balloon moving away from each other. The concept of an infinite universe implies that there is no limit to the extent of space, but individual regions of space are becoming more distant from each other due to this expansion.

In simple terms, even though the universe may be infinite in size, the expansion refers to the increasing distances between galaxies and other cosmic structures over time. This expansion does not mean the universe is getting bigger into a pre-existing space but rather the fabric of space itself is stretching.

Answer 5

The universe can be expanding even if it is infinite because the expansion refers to the increasing distance between galaxies and not the size of the universe itself.