BIG BANG THEORY

AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER, STUDENTS ARE

EXPECTED TO:
1. Give evidence for Big Bang Theory
2. Explain the formation of light and heavy
elements alongside the formation of stars and its
evolution
3. Write and explain the nuclear fusion reactions in
stars that led to the formation of elements
4. Describe how elements heavier than iron are
formed
BIG BANG THEORY
First proposed by
Belgian Priest
GEORGES LEMAITRE
who claimed that the
universe may have
begun from
primordial atom
BIG BANG THEORY
Boosted by 2
discoveries:
1. Edward Hubble’s
observation that
the galaxies are
speeding away
from us at an
increasing
velocities
BIG BANG THEORY
Boosted by 2
discoveries:
2. The discovery of
microwave
radiation by
Arno Penzias
and Robert
Wilson
COSMIC MICROWAVE RADIATION (SOMETIMES
REFERRED TO AS COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND
RADIATION OR CMBR)
➢It is the microwave
radiation left by the
initial big bang. It fills
the entire universe
and using radio
telescopes can be
detected from every
direction of the sky
BIG BANG THEORY
Proposes
that the
universe
sprang into
existence
from a
singularity
SINGULARITY
➢An infinitesimally tiny point with nearly
infinite density which contains all the mass and
space-time elements in the universe.
➢All matter, space, and time, which are the
fabric from which the universe is made, are
compressed into a point smaller than an atom
CONFUSION ABOUT THE BIG BANG THEORY

1.It was an exponential expansion

➢It was not an explosion
➢According to the theory, it is a quick
and massive expansion of a hot and
infinitely dense singularity
CONFUSION ABOUT THE BIG BANG THEORY
2. The theory proposes no explanation a to
what may have caused the expansion
➢ It was only a theory, theories need not explain
everything, but does not reduce its merit
➢ Another example of a theory: Newtons theory of
gravitational theory, but this does not explain
how objects came to have a mass
CONFUSION ABOUT THE BIG BANG THEORY
3. There is an evidence for the Big Bang
theory
a) Cosmological redshift
➢ When objects that emit light move away from
us, the light waves are stretched into waves with
longer wave lengths
CONFUSION ABOUT THE BIG BANG THEORY
3. There is an evidence for the Big Bang
theory
b) Cosmic microwave background radiation
➢ CMBR is the presence of isotropic radiation that
can be found in all directions of the sky
FORMATION OF THE UNIVERSE
TIMELINE OF THE UNIVERSE
TIME EVENT TRANSFORMATIONS

The universe is a tiny plasma

(hot gaseous form) smaller
10-44 sec Planck Era than an atom and composed
of packets of particles at
extremely high energies
TIMELINE OF THE UNIVERSE
TIME EVENT TRANSFORMATIONS

Grand At an extremely high energy

-35 Unified and temperature, the three
10 sec fundamental forces are
Theory (GUT)
era merged to one force
TIMELINE OF THE UNIVERSE
TIME EVENT TRANSFORMATIONS

The universe, which before is

tinier than an atom, has
exponentially expanded in
10-32 sec Inflation era space-time, in a tiny fraction
of a second. The universe
grew in size 1070 times
TIMELINE OF THE UNIVERSE
TIME EVENT TRANSFORMATIONS

The temperature of the

universe cooled enough to
allow the separation of the
Electro-weak
10-10 sec Strong Nuclear Force from
era the combined forces of
Electromagnetism and Weak
Nuclear Force
TIMELINE OF THE UNIVERSE
TIME EVENT TRANSFORMATIONS

As the universe cooled down,

two groups of particles
300 sec Particle era came into existence: hadrons
and leptons
TIMELINE OF THE UNIVERSE
TIME EVENT TRANSFORMATIONS

As the universe continued to

cool down, new particles were
formed from pre-existing ones.
Recombination
3x105 yr era
Eventually, elementary
particles combine to form the
first atoms. Small clamps of
matter appeared.
TIMELINE OF THE UNIVERSE
TIME EVENT TRANSFORMATIONS

Humans are capable of

14x109 yr Present era studying cosmos, its origin
and probable future.
NEXT TOPIC: FORMATION OF LIGHT ELEMENTS