The Big Bang Theory (Part I)
How the Universe began.
Mike Stuckey
Warren East High School
Cosmology
The study of the nature and
evolution of the universe.
Not
Notthe
thestudy
studyofofcosmetics
Bill Cosby
and
beauty supplies.
Imagine
No
Pizza
!!!!!!!!!
A large “explosion”.
Noabout
Matter ! 13.7
Then,
A
big
bang.
NOTHING
Let’s
Create
billion
years
ago,
No
Energy
!
Nothing
to see !the universe
This is where
and when
began.
Nothing
tohappened
hear !
something
No Time !
The
Universe
!!
Nothing
to
feel
!
Energy and time are created, but no
…..
matter
!!! !
Nothing
to think
NOTHING
Primeval Fireball
(The Beginning)
The universe is in an extremely high state of
energy, with temperatures estimated to be
greater than 1032 K.
It is just #$?! hot !!!!
But this ball of energy quickly expands and
cools, decreasing the temperature of the
universe.
Energy & Temperature
There is a close relationship between energy and
temperature.
The more concentrated energy there is in a substance the
higher that substance’s temperature will be.
The higher a substance’s temperature is the more
concentrated energy it has.
Since the universe is expanding the energy of the universe
spreads out decreasing the temperature of the universe.
This is a key thing to remember!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heavy Particle Era
The temperature is greater than 1012 K
Less than 0.000001 seconds after the Big Bang
At these high temperatures (energy), photons
collide to produce massive particles and
antiparticles
The most important particles formed are protons
and antiprotons.
Matter & Energy Conversion
A matter-antimatter pair is two subatomic particles
which are identical in every way except they have
opposite charges.
The antimatter equivalent to a proton is an antiproton.
An antiproton has the same properties as a proton but it has a negative
charge.
The antimatter equivalent to an electron is a positron.
A positron has the same properties as an electron except it is positively
charged.
Matter & Energy Conversion
At these high temperatures (energy), photons
collide to produce massive particles and
antiparticles like protons and antiprotons.
The amount of matter, m, produced in this collision of photons is
determined by the amount of energy, E, of the photons.
If there is more energy available, then more massive
particles can be produced !!!
E=
2
mc
Antiproton
Proton (+)(-)
Heavy Particle Era
The temperature is greater than 1012 K
Less than 0.000001 seconds after the Big Bang
At the end of this era, the universe is a thick
soup of heavy particles, antiparticles and energy.
The most important particles present are the
protons.
Light Particle Era
The temperature is greater than 6x109 K
Less than 6 seconds after the Big Bang
Because
of
the
lower
temperatures
during
The
Some
universe
of
the
neutrons
consists
of
decay
heavy
back
and
into
light
During
this
era
protons
and
electrons
At the end of this era the temperature
of the
this
era,and
the
photons
can’t and
produce
protons
particles
electrons.
(protons
&
The
electrons)
neutrons
which
interact
to
neutrons.
Antiprotons
and
universe
isform
below
thepresent
point
where
there
is
anymore
heavy
particles.
These
photons
can
survive
are
very
important
neutrons.
for
the
next
positrons
interact
in the
way.era.
enough
energy
for
matter
&same
antimatter
to
collide
to from
produce
light particles
and
form
colliding
photons.
Just what is needed to start to make
antiparticles,
like
Proton
(+) electrons and positrons.
atoms!!!
Neutron
Electron
(-)
Nucleosynthesis Era (Part I)
The temperature is around 109 K
Less than 300 seconds after the Big Bang
Deuterium
to after
form
Helium.
Atwith
thisprotons
point
neutrons
which
remain
the
In The
the first
5fuses
minutes
the
Big react
Bang,
the
totaltomass
ofanthe
Helium
formed
is the
about
&the
neutrons
that formed
earlier
have
formed
first
protons
form
isotope
of
Hydrogen
called
nuclei
of small
25% stable
the total
ofand
theatoms.
Deuterium.
(1 mass
proton
1universe.
neutron)
These atoms still have not captured the electrons
The
neutrons
that don’twith
form
deuterium
decay
Some
Tritium
(Hydrogen
2 neutrons),
because
the temperature
is
too
high
at thisLithium
time.
and Berylium
also&form.
back into
an electron
a proton.
Nucleosynthesis Era (Part II)
The temperature is around 3000 K
About 329,000 years after the Big Bang
At these low temperatures the nuclei which have
formed can now capture electrons and become
neutral.
This allows light and radiation to pass through
the neutral atoms and expand throughout the
universe cooling to around 2.7 K
Matter Era
The temperature is less than 3000 K
Over 1 million years after the Big Bang
With the radiation and matter freed from each
other, the pressures which kept the matter from
clumping together is now greatly reduced.
Matter is able to clump together forming
galaxies, stars, and the Earth.
We are still in this era.