What kinds of atomic nuclei formed during the Big Bang epoch of nucleosynthesis?

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To begin, consider the question about the kinds of atomic nuclei formed during the Big Bang epoch of nucleosynthesis.
Option a: 'Only helium.' While helium-4 is indeed produced in the Big Bang, this answer is incomplete because not only helium is formed; small amounts of other light nuclei are also produced.
Option b: 'Hydrogen, helium and trace amounts of lithium, beryllium, and boron.' This aligns with the standard prediction of primordial nucleosynthesis, where the universe primarily yields hydrogen and helium with small, trace amounts of the light elements lithium, beryllium, and boron due to nuclear reactions in the early hot, dense conditions, making this a comprehensive description.
Option c: 'Roughly equal amounts of hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, and boron.' In reality, the abundances are not roughly equal; hydrogen and helium dominate the primordial composition, while lithium, beryllium, and boron occur only in tiny, fragile amounts due to the inefficiencies of the nuclear reaction network at that epoch.
Option d: 'Essentially all of the chemical elements, except for those heavier than uranium.' This statement exaggerates the outcome of Big Bang nucleosynthesis. Heavier elements beyond lithium and a few light isotopes are not produced in significant quantities during the Big Bang; their presence comes later from stellar processes.
Option e: 'Only hydrogen.' This is too restrictive, since helium is the second-most abundant nucleus produced in the era, with additional trace amounts of the light elements mentioned, contrary to this option’s claim.
In summary, the reasoning supports that the described primordial yields include hydrogen and helium with trace amounts of lithium, beryllium, and boron, rather than claiming exclusivity to any single element or broad, uniform abundances that would imply production of many heavier species during that epoch. The nuanced pattern of light-element production reflects the specific thermonuclear reactions and the rapidly cooling universe during Big Bang nucleosynthesis.

ASTR 350 ONL FA25: Big Bang,Black Holes,Universe (Liu, X)

What kinds of atomic nuclei formed during the Big Bang epoch of nucleosynthesis?

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