BIG BANG THEORY

• Formation of Light Elements after the Big Bang:

  • After the Big Bang, the universe was filled with quarks that combined to produce protons and neutrons
  • Protons and neutrons then combined to form matter, leading to the creation of light elements like Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, and Beryllium
• Big Bang Nucleosynthesis:

  • Refers to the process of creating new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons, primarily protons and neutrons
  • As the universe expands and cools, protons and neutrons combine to form new atomic nuclei
  • For example, the combination of 1 proton and 1 neutron forms a Deuteron, a Hydrogen isotope
• Formation of Light Elements after the Big Bang:

  • After the explosion, the universe filled with quarks that combined to produce protons and neutrons
  • Seconds later, protons and neutrons combined, and matter began to take form
  • Light elements formed include Hydrogen (H), Helium (He), Lithium (Li), and Beryllium
• Evidence for the Formation of Light Elements after the Big Bang:

  • Measurements show the universe is expanding, with galaxies moving away from each other
  • Detection of a cosmic background radiation that is uniform in all directions
  • Discovery of primordial helium, indicating that Helium and Hydrogen were the first elements formed in the early universe
• Big Bang Nucleosynthesis:

  • Refers to the process of creating new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons, primarily protons and neutrons
  • As the universe expands and cools, protons and neutrons combine to form new elements
  • When 1 proton and 1 neutron combine, they form a Deuteron, a Hydrogen isotope
  • Deuteron + 1 neutron = Triton, showing isotopes have the same proton but differ in the number of neutrons
• After the big bang, an unimaginably high density matter and radiant energy filled the entire universe
• Heavier elements form after the big bang through the process of stellar nucleosynthesis during star formation and evolution
• Stars are primarily composed of Hydrogen
• The first fusion process occurs at the hydrogen core of stars like the Sun, at 15 million kelvin
• In the Main-Branch Proton-Proton Chain, deuterium burning occurs, releasing a tremendous amount of light, heat, and radioactive energy
• As hydrogen burns into helium, the star develops a very dense helium core and a hydrogen shell
• The temperature increases to 100 million kelvin to push out the gas
• With the increase in temperature, nuclear fusion processes occur
• The Carbon Fusion Cycle or CNO cycle involves a number of protons and neutrons, symbol of elements, and atomic numbers
• The Alpha Ladder is involved in the formation of heavier elements during star evolution
• The Big Bang Theory:

  • Describes the origin of the universe as a gigantic explosion or big bang billions of years ago
  • Before the explosion, the universe occupied a very tiny volume and was unimaginably hot
  • A fireball of radiation with minute particles of matter gradually cooled, allowing the formation of atoms
  • Atoms clumped together due to gravity to form billions of galaxies, including the Milky Way
• Formation of Light Elements after the Big Bang:

  • After the Big Bang, the universe was filled with quarks that combined to produce protons and neutrons
  • Seconds later, protons and neutrons combined to form matter, leading to the creation of light elements like Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, and Beryllium
• Evidence for the Formation of Light Elements after the Big Bang:

  • Measurements showed that the universe is expanding and galaxies are moving away from each other
  • A cosmic background radiation was detected, consistent in all directions
  • Primordial helium was discovered, indicating that Helium and Hydrogen were the first elements formed in the early universe
• Big Bang Nucleosynthesis:

  • Refers to the process of creating new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons, primarily protons and neutrons
  • As the universe expands and cools, protons and neutrons combine to form new elements
  • When 1 proton and 1 neutron combine, they form a Deuteron, a Hydrogen isotope
  • Deuteron + 1 neutron = Triton, which is an isotope of Hydrogen
  • Two Deuterium atoms will form Helium