How does the theory of inflation explain the near- uniformity of the cosmic microwave background?
A)The expanding universe would have cooled.
B)Matter was near the critical- density for a universal collapse, which smoothed out the differences in temperatures.
C)Prior to rapid inflation, all regions of space were close enough to bounce radiation back- and- forth and reach the same temperature.
D)Matter expanded into regions of space that had no matter, and thus ended up at the same temperature.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Prior to rapid inflation, all regions of space were close enough to bounce radiation back- and- forth and reach the same temperature. This is known as thermal equilibrium. Inflation caused the universe to expand rapidly, but it also homogenized it by stretching out any density fluctuations. This resulted in a near-uniformity of the cosmic microwave background.

How Does the Theory of Inflation Explain the Near- Uniformity