Big Bang and Beyond

Theories of the Origin of the Universe

• Theological “Theories”:
– Greek Mythology (Chaos)
– Hinduism (Cosmic sleep of gods)
– Chinese creation myth (Pangu)
– Biblical account of the creation (God)

• Scientific Theories:
– Continuous creation
– Big Bang Theory – the commonly accepted
theory
Big “Bang”
• Technically, there was no “bang”
• Technically, galaxies are not moving away
from each other
• Reality: space expands
– When there are more space between galaxies,
they “move” away from each other
– Analogy: dots on an expanding balloon

• Isaiah 45:12
– …I have stretched out the heavens...
– It’s only ancient document that mentions an
expanding Universe
Evidence for the Big Bang
• Theory predicts an expanding universe
– Confirm by Red Shift (Doppler effect) in
spectrum

• Theory predicts cosmic background

radiation
– Background radiation was discovered in
1964 by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson,
who later won the Nobel Prize for this
discovery
Beyond the Big Bang
• Big Bang Theory explains how the Universe first
started but leaves many unanswered questions
• Time, Space and Matter were created in the Big Bang
– Before the bang, there were no time, no space and no
matter
– Physics has not solved the question “What’s before the Big
Bang”

• Other factors determine how the Universe will

develop:
– Amount of matter in the Universe
– Physical properties of the matter
– Strength of the fundamental forces
 The Big Bang

• The Big Bang Theory is the accepted scientific

theory about the origin of the universe based
upon multiple lines of evidence.
• The “Big Bang” was a phenomenally energetic
explosion that initiated the expansion of the
universe.
• All matter and energy were compressed at a
single point (singularity) at the time of the
explosion
• We do not know what was before…..?
• The age of the universe is calculated at 13.7
billion years (based on multiple methods of age
dating based on empirical data).
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
• All Hydrogen and most Helium in the universe was
produced during the Big Bang Event, starting ~100
seconds after the explosion. A small amount of Lithium
was also produced.

• Big Bang nucleosynthesis ceased within a few minutes

because the universe had expanded sufficiently by then
such that the temperatures and pressures were too low to
support additional fusion reactions.
 Stellar Nucleosynthesis
• Stars create elements by combining lighter nuclei into heavier
nuclei via nuclear fusion reactions in their cores.
• Enormous temperatures (15,000,000 K), pressures, and densities
of matter are needed to initiate fusion (thermonuclear) reactions.
• The basic nuclear reaction in the Sun converts hydrogen to helium
and releases energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation.
This is why stars shine!
 Stellar Nucleosynthesis

• Larger stars can fuse heavier elements.

 Supernova Nucleosynthesis
• Elements heavier than Iron are made primarly
when giant stars explode in supernova events.
 A summary…
(you are made of stardust)
 Nebulae
• Nebulae are regions
of gas and dust in
interstellar space
within galaxies.
• Nebulae contain gas
and dust from
previously exploded
stars.
• Nebulae are the
birthplaces of new
stars. (recycling!)
• When stars form,
planets may form
too (a solar
system)
Nebulae (continued)

The image,
roughly 3
light-years
across,
was taken
May 29-30,
1999, with
the Wide
Field
Planetary
Camera 2.
The colors
in the
image
Helium Fusion
• After all the Hydrogen is converted to Helium, the
star converts Helium to…. What ?
• Here we have a major problem...
• When two Helium nuclei are fused into Beryllium-8,
the resulting Beryllium-8 isotope is highly unstable
– Beryllium-8 has a half life of 10-16 seconds !!!
Helium
Beryllium-8
Helium

< 0.0000000000000001 sec

According to the physics of Beryllium-8,

stars cannot burn Helium
A Stellar Mystery
• Dilemma:
– According to the physical properties of Beryllium-8, stars
cannot burn beyond Helium
– Yet, Helium is being converted in Carbon in stars all the time
• First proposed solution: Triple collision
Helium

Carbon-12
Helium

Helium

Triple collisions are extremely rare and the rarity cannot

explain the abundance of carbon