BUILD YOUR OWN UNIVERSE
SESSION INTRODUCTION
Hubble Space Telescope image of a cluster of galaxies. Some appear as they did 12 billion years ago.
Image courtesy of NASA/ESA/STScI.
THE FIRST FEW SECONDS
Fundamental Particles
down quark
electron
up quark
photon
positron
neutrino
found in threes, make up the matter around us
carry electric charge in circuits
particle of light
antimatter partner of
the electron
interact very little with normal matter
T = >100,000,000,000oC
THE FIRST FEW SECONDS
T = 3,000,000,000oC
down quark
down quark
down quark
up quark
up quark
up quark
proton
neutron
THE FIRST TWO ELEMENTS
H
1
1.01
He
2
4.0026
…to make helium-4 + two extra protons
add another helium-3…
…to make helium -3
add a proton to the new neutron…
…to make deuterium
proton becomes a neutron: beta decay
add another proton…
THE BIRTH OF NEUTRAL ATOMS
charge = -1
charge = +1
overall charge = 0
overall charge = 0
Cosmic background radiation imaged by the Planck satellite. Image courtesy of ESA/NASA
TIME = 100 MILLION YEARS
Elements heavier than helium are made by fusion in the heart of stars. Image courtesy of ESA.
THE END