Unit 1 : Nucleosynthesis: The Beginning Of Elements

Question 1

Big Bang Theory

Answer 1

Big Bang Theory - The big bang theory is a cosmological model that explains how the universe began. It suggests that the universe started its expansion about 13.7 billion years ago based on the latest calculations.

Question 2

Cosmology

Answer 2

• the body of science that studies the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe.

Question 3

explains the origin of universe and life based on the religious beliefs of a specific tradition

Answer 3

Religious or mythological cosmology

Question 4

Cosmology

Answer 4

The concept of creatio ex nihilo ; Latin for “creation out of nothing

Question 5

Cosmology

Answer 5

God creating the universe as written in the book of Genesis

Question 6

The universe began as a _____ or a point containing all ___, ___, ___, and ___.

Answer 6

The universe began as a singularity or a point containing all space, time, matter, and energy.

Question 7

It expanded rapidly in nothingness through a rapid yet peaceful process called _____.

Answer 7

inflation.

Question 8

What process caused the rapid expansion of the universe in its early stages?

Answer 8

It expanded rapidly in nothingness through a rapid yet peaceful process called inflation.

Question 9

What is Singularity?

Answer 9

an area predicted to be in the core of a black hole with very high temperature and density, in a hot dense state

Question 10

A soup of matter in the form of subatomic particles was formed, and nuclei of light atoms were created via ___ or nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons.

Answer 10

nucleosynthesis or nuclear fusion

Question 11

Electrons interacted with these nuclei to form actual, primordial atoms via the process of ___.

Answer 11

Electrons interacted with these nuclei to form actual, primordial atoms via the process of recombination.

Question 12

Big Bang Theory Proponents

Answer 12

1. Vesto Slipher and Carl Wilhelm Wirtz (1910)
2. Georges Lemaître (1927)
3. Edwin Hubble (1929)
4. Robert Wilson and Arno Penzias (1965)
5. Modern astronomy (2014)

Question 13

Vesto Slipher and Carl Wilhelm Wirtz (1910)

Answer 13

• Measurement of redshift
• Observed that most spiral galaxies were moving away from the earth

Question 14

Georges Lemaítre (1927)

Answer 14

• Proposed alternative idea that the universe is expanding

Question 15

Significance of Redshift

Answer 15

Redshift is a crucial tool for astronomers to:

• Measure the expansion of the universe (Hubble’s Law)
• Estimate the distance to distant galaxies
• Study the formation and evolution of stars and galaxies
• Investigate the presence of black holes

Question 16

Edwin Hubble (1929)

Answer 16

• Calculated distances between the earth and several galaxies using redshift of light
• Observed distant galaxies were moving away from the Earth and one another

Question 17

Edwin Hubble’s Law

Answer 17

The relationship of the velocities of distant objects in the universe is in proportion to their distance from Earth.

Question 18

Modern Astronomy (2014)

Answer 18

Universe is estimated to be 13.8 billion years old with 5% of its composition existing as ordinary matter

Question 19

Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN)

Answer 19

also known as primordial nucleosynthesis, is the process of producing the light elements during the big bang expansion

Question 20

It yields two stable isotopes of hydrogen, two isotopes of helium, some lithium atoms, and beryllium isotopes

Question 21

What was the most abundant meteorite class, constituting more than 85 percent of meteorite falls.

Answer 21

Chondrites