Dark Energy
A hypothetical form of energy causing the accelerating expansion of the universe.
Also: cosmological constant · vacuum energy
Definition
Dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and is the leading explanation for the observed accelerating expansion of the universe. It is estimated to constitute about 68% of the total energy content of the universe. Dark energy acts as a repulsive force opposing gravity on cosmic scales. Its nature remains one of the greatest unsolved problems in physics and cosmology.
Example
“Measurements of distant Type Ia supernovae in the 1990s showed they were farther away than expected for a uniformly expanding universe, implying the expansion is speeding up—a discovery attributed to dark energy that earned the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.”
Synonyms
- cosmological constant
- vacuum energy
- repulsive energy
Antonyms / Opposites
- dark matter
- gravity
Images
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Related Terms
- Dark Matter
- Big Bang Theory
- Supernova
- Cosmology