What Happened After the Big Bang? The Formation of the Universe Explained

Discover the key events following the Big Bang, including inflation, particle formation, and the birth of stars and galaxies.

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Following the Big Bang, the universe experienced a rapid phase called inflation, where it expanded exponentially. Next came the formation of subatomic particles like protons and electrons, followed by nuclei in a phase known as nucleosynthesis. Approximately 380,000 years later, atoms formed in a period called recombination, leading to the release of cosmic microwave background radiation and the formation of stars and galaxies.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What is the Big Bang theory? The Big Bang theory is the leading explanation about how the universe began, proposing that it started from a singularity and expanded to its current state.
  2. What happens during the inflation period? During inflation, the universe expanded exponentially, leading to the formation of structures that we observe today, such as galaxies.
  3. How did stars and galaxies form? Stars and galaxies formed as gravitational forces pulled matter together after a period of nucleosynthesis and recombination, creating the cosmic structures we see.
  4. What is cosmic microwave background radiation? Cosmic microwave background radiation is the thermal radiation filling the universe, a remnant from when atoms first formed post-Big Bang.