Question

Relate dark matter to the development of the universe after the Big Bang. In 3-5 sentences, speculate on how the development of the universe would have been different if there had been no dark matter. In your answer, use the term structures.(4 points)

Answer 1

Dark matter is believed to play a crucial role in the development of the universe after the Big Bang. Speculatively, if there had been no dark matter, the gravitational force exerted by normal matter alone would not have been sufficient to pull in gases and form structures like galaxies and galaxy clusters. The universe would have likely been more homogeneous, lacking the large-scale structures we observe today. Without dark matter, the cosmic web of filaments connecting clusters of galaxies may not have formed, altering the overall structure and distribution of matter in the universe.