Why Did Newton View the Universe as Infinite in Extent

question 134

Multiple Choice

Why did Newton view the universe as infinite in extent?

• A) It was based on purely religious/philosophical grounds.
• B) Newton had some idea of the scale of the universe because of the lack of observable parallax for even the closest stars. So, he reasoned, with the huge number of faint stars he could see through his telescope, the universe must go on infinitely in all directions.
• C) Newton believed the universe was expanding outward. If it were finite in extent, it would long ago have stopped and would have begun to collapse.
• D) If the universe had an edge, there would be an imbalance of forces on objects near the edge and they would not be in equilibrium.

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Definitions:

Collateral

Assets or properties pledged by a borrower to secure a loan or obligation, ensuring the lender can recover the loaned funds in case of default by selling the collateral.

Debtor

is an individual or entity that owes money or an obligation to another party, known as the creditor.

Security Agreement

A legal contract that grants a lender a security interest in an asset, serving as collateral for a loan.

Secured Interest

A legal claim or a security interest granted by the debtor to the creditor over the debtor's property, ensuring the property serves as collateral for the repayment of a debt.