How the elements found in

the universe were formed?

Give evidence for and explain the formation
of the light elements in the Big Bang Theory

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
 atom ELEMENTS

Stellar Stellar
nucleus electron Big Bang
formation explosion
and
evolution
Proton Neutron
• + charge • Electrically
H, He, Li
• define neutral Elements
atomic heavier
number Be to Fe than Fe

Atomic mass
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 Atoms form so fast. When H gas
joined together and gravity put it
Hot dense environment, Quarts starting forming a
in a great pressure. The stars and
energy manifested itself particle, hadrons like p
galaxies start to form. The
with tinniest particles and n
radiation dissolve the stable H gas
into plasma which allows visible

The Beginning of Everything

light to pass

Quark Opaque Hadron and

Era lepton Era Era
𝟏𝟎−𝟑𝟓 s 𝟏𝟎−𝟑𝟐 s 𝟏𝟎−𝟗 s 𝟏𝟎−𝟔 s 1s 300 s

Natural Nucleosynthesis
Inflation Era
Laws

The universe is The universe is now 100

The universe expand billion km and cold enough
very small and with billion of to allow most of the n to
quickly expand kilometers decay into p and form the
first hydrogen atom
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The Big Bang Theory
• States that the universe was formed 15 billion years ago
in a great explosion
• It has been expanding since then
• After a giant explosion, minute particles of matter mixed
with radiation gradually cooled which allowed for the
formation of ATOMS
• Atoms clumped together due to the influence of gravity to
form billions of galaxies

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
George Gamow

• Russian-American physicist
• In 1948, he put forward a paper hypothesizing that the
universe burst into being in a gigantic explosion or a big
bang several billions of years ago together with his
student Ralph Alpher and nuclear scientist Hans Bethe

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Pieces of evidence support the Big
Bang theory of George Gamow

1. Measurement showed that the universe is expanding and

that galaxies are moving away from one another
2. A cosmic background radiation was detected. The
radiation observed was the same in all directions and
found to be independent of direction
3. Primordial He was discovered. Scientists believe that
He and H were the first to be formed in the early stages
of the evolution of the universe

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
How were the elements in
the universe formed?

• A few seconds after the big bang, protons, neutrons, and

electrons consisted the universe
• At present, the universe consists of mostly hydrogen (H)
and helium (He)
• The elements of the present universe were formed in a
process known as nucleosynthesis

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Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

• The process through which light elements formed

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First step in the Big Bang
Nucleosynthesis
• Involved the building up of complex atoms through the
formation of deuterium nuclei or deuterons
• Deuterium nuclei or deuterons are combination of a
proton and a neutron

n+p d+γ
• Deuteron has a binding energy of 2.2 MeV

Is the amount of energy of a gamma

ray given off during its formation
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
• To break up a deuteron nuclei apart into its components
(n and p) the reverse reaction process must occur

d+γ n+p
• The two reactions will take place at the same rate if the
universe were filled with energetic photons, which means
that deuterium will dissociate as quickly as it is formed

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
ISOTOPES

• are elements with the same atomic number (Z) and

different atomic mass (A).

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
ASSIGNMENT #2

1. Discuss the common types of nuclear reactions and

provide illustrative examples for each.
2. Make a research on the picture of structure and layers of
red giant stars

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