In the

Beginning
Big Bang Theory and
Formation of the Light
Elements
 The universe cooled down as it
The universe may have begun as an
infinitely hot and dense initial singularity,
expanded. An excess of matter
a point with all of space, time, matter (electrons, protons, neutrons and
and energy. This means that there was other particles) somehow came to
nowhere, when or what. There is no be in a highly energetic “plasma
space around the singularity – just soup.”
nothingness.

Much later on, electrons started to

Key stages of the
bind to ionized protons and nuclei
Big Bang model.
forming neutral atoms in a process
called recombination.

All of it then began to rapidly expand in a

process known as inflation. Space itself
expanded faster than the speed of light.
In this still hot and dense mass of the
universe, pairs of matter and antimatter Gravity caused these atoms to collapse
(quarks and antiquarks) were formed onto one another to form stars and
from energy, but these pairs cancelled galaxies and eventually, other matter.
each other back into energy This still happens until today.
(annihilation).
 Several Limitations and
Misconceptions associated
with discussing the Big
Bang Theory.

The Big Bang was NOT an

The Big Bang refers to the explosion that carried matter
very start of the whole outward from a point. It refers to
process called the Big the rapid inflation of space
itself.
Bang model.

The theory does not explain what caused it

or where the singularity came from, BUT the
Big Bang model does not need a cause to be
a valid theory. It simply needs to show that
observations and evidence validate its
assumptions. The model is a work in
progress that we are still finding evidence for
until now.
 How using different instruments can enable
us to detect the light of other galaxies.
This light is found to be redshifted (the light
looks “stretched”).
• This suggests that other galaxies are moving
farther away from ours.
• It was later determined that they are not moving
away.
• Instead, space itself is expanding in all
directions causing all the galaxies to be
relatively farther apart.
• From this “redshift” we learn how fast the
universe is expanding.
• Redshift is the first piece of evidence for the
Big Bang model.
Nucleosynthesis
D = 1 p+, 1 n T = 1 p+, 2 n 3
He = 2 p+, 1 n
4
He = 2 p+, 2 n 7
Be = 4 p+, 3 n 7
Li = 3 p+, 4 n

Due to the rapid cooling due to expansion, nucleosynthesis ground to a halt about three
minutes after the Big Bang occurred. This left us with mostly H isotopes (p, D and T), He
isotopes and a very tiny bit of other elements like Li. The relative abundance of He and H
did not change much until today.
• These are not the only reactions that
occurred but these were the most
significant.
• Given the (a, b) format in the diagram,
it is a that reacts with the particle while
it is b that is produced or removed. γ is
the symbol for gamma radiation.
• You may use an accounting approach to count. Place the number of each
particle on each side and balance like a money sheet:
e.g. 3He + D 4He + p+
3
He D 4
He p+
p n p n p n p n
2 1 1 1 2 2 1 0

D and T are isotopes of hydrogen namely deuterium and tritium, respectively .

• The relative abundance of light elements
in the universe is the second piece of
evidence to prove that the Big Bang
occurred.

• Through measurements, we find that

around 24% of the universe’s ordinary
matter is currently comprised of helium,
about 74% hydrogen, and 2% of other
elements.

• These figures only make sense if

nucleosynthesis in the Big Bang model
actually occurred since no chemical
process significantly changes these
percentages.
 A third part of evidence for the Big Bang
model:
Cosmic Microwave Background, or the energy (thermal radiation) that was left
as a result of recombination. Atoms became neutral due to the binding of nuclei and
electrons. The remaining radiation then began to scatter. This is seen by scientists
as a faint microwave glow not emitted by any object in space.
THANKS