Which of the following statements about the cosmic background radiation is not true?
A) It has a temperature of about 3 degrees K above absolute zero.
B) It is the result of a mixture of radiation from many independent sources, such as stars and galaxies that formed within the first billion years of the Big Bang.
C) It had a much higher temperature in the past.
D) It was discovered by Penzias and Wilson in the mid 1960s.
E) It appears essentially the same in all directions (it is isotropic).

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cosmic background radiation is not the result of a mixture of radiation from many independent sources, as stated in choice B. Rather, it is the remnant radiation left over from the Big Bang itself. The other statements are true: the temperature is about 3 degrees K above absolute zero, it had a much higher temperature in the past, it was discovered by Penzias and Wilson in the mid 1960s, and it appears essentially the same in all directions (it is isotropic).

Which of the Following Statements About the Cosmic Background Radiation