The Ten Commandments
Since we use Einstein's
equation to study the origin of the universe, the ten non-linear partial
differential equations contained in the Einstein equation can be regarded as
the ten commandments of modern genesis.
Following the ten
commandments of modern genesis, we can study the early universe so long as we
can reproduce the conditions of temperature, density, and pressure expected for
the epoch in question. If we
extrapolate the temperature-time relation from Einstein's equation to three
minutes AB, we expect that the temperature was about 1,000,000,000 K. This is
an enormous temperature, but because we can reproduce the same conditions in
the laboratory, we have a good understanding of the behavior of matter in this
extreme environment.
Earlier than three minutes
AB the universe was so hot that nuclei could not exist. Just as any atom in the universe would have
melted if the temperature was hotter than 3000K, nuclei melt at temperatures
hotter than 1,000,000,000 K. Three
minutes AB was the birth of the nuclear age; before then, the universe was made
of the constituents of nuclei: neutrons and protons.
Our extrapolation back in
time is rewarded, because we can predict what sort of nuclei were produced
three minutes AB when neutrons and protons formed nuclei. Using what we learn from studying nuclear
reactions in the laboratory, and using the modern laws of genesis to predict
how the universe cooled as it expanded, we predict that three minutes AB the
primordial neutrons and protons should form 75% hydrogen and 25% helium, with
just a trace of lithium.Furthermore, the big-bang model predicts the abundance of different isotopes of
hydrogen (normal hydrogen and heavy hydrogen) and helium (helium-4 and
helium-3). The agreement between
predictions and observations is an astounding success. The fact that the predictions agree so well
with observations of the primordial elemental abundances gives us a lot of
confidence that we understand the universe three minutes AB.
Contributed by: Dr. Edward Kolb
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