Quote, paraphrase, and citation #4 (database)

Quote: "'Big Bang' is not an accurate name for the theory. What this theory describes is the expansion and the cooling of the universe. It doesn't describe an explosion at all. But isn't the Big Bang an explosion in space? Its name implies a standard bang, such as a chemical explosion -- think of fireworks -- and once we have this image in our mind, it's hard to imagine the Big Bang as anything else. But the universe's beginning wasn't an explosion. It was closer to an unfolding, or creation, of matter, energy, time -- and space itself."

Paraphrase: Calling the origin of the universe the "Big Bang" is misleading because it makes us think of one thing, like a firework, exploding somewhere in space (and time). That's not how the universe began, however, because the "Big Bang" actually created matter, energy, time, and space. None of these things existed before this creation event.

Citation: Kruesi, Liz. "Cosmology: 5 things you need to know." Astronomy 35.5 (2007): 28-33. General Science Collection. EBSCO. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.