The inflationary theory: An answer to early universe

Denise Andrade,1 Eduardo Lopez,2 and Danny Jerez2

1
Department of Physics,
Yachat Tech University
2
Department of Physics,
Yachay Tech University
(Dated: October 22, 2016)
Inflationary theory rise to answer some questions about the big bang theory, between this, are the
flatness and horizon problems. Nevertheless, this theory is very important in physics and cosmology,
because allowing to develop a new answer to solve for an understanding of the universe. This work
will be treated since origins of the inflationary theory, then it defines what is this theory and finally,
some consequences will be described in order to understand the evidence that this theory shows us.
The discussion about of theory turnaround of the consequences of this input to the science. First
the new evidence about gravitational waves related with inflationary theory. This relationship could
generate greatest changes to future, for this reason, have a lot of importance in cosmology.

THE ORIGIN OF THE THEORY
The universe is uncertain and their functioning is one
of the greatest mysteries for the humans. By 1930 in
scientific community rises a new theory. After of that
Edwin Hubble discover the expansion of the universe
through their observations of red-shift and blue shift,
George Lemaitre proposes that is the universe is in ex-
pansion, it must have begun at one point. The scientists
work in this theory and they call as big bang theory,
nevertheless nowadays the theory is not finished, it have
several questions without answers.
Some problems about the big bang theory was solved
by Alan Guth, physics and cosmologist, in 1981. He pro-
pose a theory that allows to solve the horizon and flat-
ness problems. Guth aims an inflationary universe that
claim in the origins of the universe happened by a pro-
cess of quick expansion. This idea could be very simple
and complex at the same time, although look simple this
theory brought some amazing implications around field
of physics and cosmology.
Is necessary explain the problems of horizon and flat-
ness in order to interpret the resolution of this questions.
In a nutshell the explanations of this problems are the
next. The horizon problem of the universe is related with
homogeneity. Despite of all things in the universe this is
very homogeneous, however background radiation shows
different areas with the same temperature. The distance
between this areas is unimaginable, not even a photon
could share energy between these, then how is possible
that have the same temperature. The flatness problem
of the universe is related with tridimensional spaces. So,
this have some curvature, also exist a special case with-
out curvature a flat space. According to modern sciences
the universe is very near to be a flat space. The problem
is the probability about flatness, in all possibilities the
universe have a special case in their space shape.
The inflationary theory aims the following solutions of
this problems. The flatness problem is solved because
it is not important the initial curvature of the universe.
In a universe with acceleration expansion makes in small
scales possible the perception of flatness. For example
in differential calculus a curve surface in small scale is
plane. The horizon problem is solved because the ar-
eas were considered without relation or contact between
them, but, actually the areas are connected. Due to ac-
celerated expansion, the areas once joined, they started
to separate distances which are unmeasureable . Then
the temperature is the same because at the beginning
these were in thermodynamic equilibrium.
The inflationary theory is adaptable to the theories of the
cosmology. This theory have a lot importance because
explain some phenomena of the universe and it allows
the reaching of answers and new questions that can rise
about the universe.
INFLATIONARY THEORY AND
CONSEQUENCES
The cosmology inflationary theory in short words is re-
lated to an expansion of universe after the big bang event.
This theory say us that the universe at its origins had a
very very quick expansion, this phenomena causes the in-
crease of volume at a very short time. At beginning was
the vacuum, the nothing. The quantum theory mention
that the vacuum has interactions and fluctuations where
particles are made and destroyed, so the vacuum is not
something inertial. In fact, exist two kind of vacuums,
which are the virtual vacuum and real vacuum. The vir-
tual vacuum do not have particles and fields either, but
its energy is not the lowest possible. In the other hand,
the real vacuum has particles, but its energy is the lowest
possible.
According to researches, the universe originated be-
cause its state was the virtual vacuum. Furthermore, ev-
ery system tend to its lowest energy, thus the transition
from virtual vacuum to real vacuum occurs. During this

process appears a field which produces a greater gravity
repulsive event, and it produce the enormous expansion
of universe. This is the origin of the inflationary theory.
Summarizing, the idea behind the inflationary theory is
that a repulsive form of gravity caused the expansion of
universe [1]. In order to create a repulsive gravitational
field is needed a material with negative pressure which
was predicted by general relativity.
In one hand, there is a negative pressure will creates a
repulsive gravitational field and a positive pressure cre-
ates an attractive gravitational field. Also, in the other
hand, according to particle physics there are some mate-
rials with a negative pressure which are able to construct
out of fields. During the inflation at the early universe,
while the energy of matter increase, the energy of the
gravitational field becomes more negative to compensate.
The total energy tends to be constant and very small, and
could even exactly zero. Conservation of energy places
no limit on how much the universe can inflate, as there
is no limit to the amount of negative energy that can be
stored in the gravitational field. [2]
Inflationary theory is not only a explanation of what
causes the expansion of universe, but also the origin of
the all matter in the universe at the same time.
Consequences of the universe expansion at the
beginning of the universe
Formation of background radiation
The background Radiation received in earth has a
much interesting trip from the beginning of the uni-
verse to the present day. This process will be describe
in this section in order to explain how the inflationary
theory explains his existence. The first three minutes
before the big bang, the universe contained principally
hydrogen nucleus, a helium nucleus, electrons, neutri-
nos, anti-neutrinos, and photons. Neutrinos and anti-
neutrinos didnt interact with the other particles because
they didnt have enough energy and the other particles
formed ionized gas. Before of this, for a while, nothing
happened, except that temperature dropped out over the
time while universe expanded.
When the universe reached the 5000 K of temperature,
then the electrons and the ionized gas begin to combine
with the atomic nucleus and formed the first elements of
the universe. The matter was not a gas and free electrons
anymore and photons stopped interacting with matter.
In this way, light and matter have continued evolving but
in separated ways. Before millions of years, the earth still
received those photons of the beginning of the universe
that were emitted as visible and infrared light because
of the temperature. Since the expansion of space causes
their wavelength to increase over time they had decreased
his energy and the planet receives just as background ra-
2
diation [3].
Primordial helium and hydrogen formation
At the beginning protons and neutrons collided with
each other and could occasionally form deuterium nu-
cleus, also known as heavy hydrogen. The deuterium
nucleus consisting of a proton and a neutron colliding
with other protons and neutrons could form a helium
nucleus. Following the inflationary theory at the first
three minutes of the universes existence, it has approx-
imately 107 Kelvin grades and it allowed this process to
occur[4]. Above this temperature protons and neutrons
have too much energy and destroy when colliding with
another nucleus. At lower temperatures the deuterium
nuclei, which have positive electric charge, cannot over-
come their electrical repulsion so it is impossible to form
a heavier nucleus. The abundance of primordial helium is
calculated from astronomical observations and the result
agrees with theoretical predictions.
A multiverse
Initially the universe was vacuum. In quantum physics,
vacuum is not something inert, it has fluctuation where
create and destroy particles. Our universe where in a
state of false vacuum, that has energy but not the less
energy possible. Every system tends to his state of less
energy. In this way the false vacuum became a true vac-
uum producing the universes expansion. Some theories
said that during the extreme expansion of the universe
in a very small time after the Big bang, some parts of
the false vacuum did not disappear at the same time and
this could create bubbles. Those could develop lots of
universes connected among them with diferent laws and
diferent values of the fundamental constants.[5] Its hard
to build models of inflation that dont lead to a multi-
verse Alan Guth.
Present consequences of the universe expansion
Galaxies receding
Edwin Hubble observations of the universe told us
about the expansion of the universe. Those observation
also found that the majority of galaxies therefore ap-
peared to be moving away from our own galaxy. The
way the universe is expanding bring us an obvious con-
sequence, de distance between two points in space is in-
creasing, even if the points did not move. It happens
quicker while they are farther. A prediction about the
future can be made just considering a lot of factors, but
principal which of the models of the inflation a person

want to choose. Thinking in a big Chill, Fred Adams,
and Gregory Laughlin have made a prediction that con-
sists of five steps in their book The five ages of the Uni-
verse(1999). Beginning with The Primordial Era and the
Stelliferous Era, which include the beginning and the
present day, Degenerate Era where the celestial bodies
will have burnt out and just exist white dwarfs, neutron
stars, and black holes, then the Black Hole Era where
other astronomical objects will be destroyed by proton
decay, and Finally the Dark Era where even black holes
have disappeared. The final of our universe will have
just photons, leptons, and dilute gas remaining. If a per-
son accepts as true the theory of the big crunch we will
expect to have a universe that at some point will begin
to contract into a hot dense state. Those are just two
ways to see the expansion of the universe. For sure there
are a lot of theories that try to explain our possible ulti-
mate fate, but while there is any proof, everything is just
assumptions FIG. 1.
FIG. 1. Theories and models of possible expansion of uni-
verses
DISCUSSION
The inflationary theory and general relativity have
same arguments in common, and they are complemen-
tary between them. In the theory of general relativity,
Albert Einstein proposed that gravitational waves are un-
dulations in the space time that travel out from source.
Recent evidence affirm have found gravitational waves.
In 2016, LIGO (Laser interferometer gravitational wave
observatory) have registered two events of gravitational
wave, one of this was a collision between two black holes
with 29 and 36 time the mass of sun[6]. Then, almost one
century before an experiment confirm the theory general
relativity of Einstein. In journal Smithsonian the article,
A new cosmic discovery could be the closest weve come
to the beginning of time, said presence of detectable grav-
itational waves - often referred to as ripples in the fabric
3
of space-time- is predicted by the theory of inflation.
Preexisting fluctuations in the strength of gravity on a
microscopic scale, Guth says, would have been stretched
out by inflation, producing macroscopic waves.[7]. The
existence of gravitational waves is a proof of the infla-
tionary theory because gravitational waves are a cloth of
the universe, so returned to the beginning of universe is
possible through of the gravitational network.
The inflation of universe is a theory which try to ex-
plain what happened few seconds after big bang event,
to be exactly at 1036 seconds, also it tries to explain
how the forces or interactions were in the early universe.
Furthermore, the inflationary theory explains why the
universe is isotropic homogeneous, that means the same
temperature at any point of the universe. In fact, infla-
tionary theory purpose a solution why the universe is the
same at anywhere but at the same time why is not the
same, for instance why one galaxy is more accelerated
than other ones.
CONCLUSION
The supports the some of the phenomenons which were
predicted by scientists. For instance, the new evidence to
proof the gravitational waves through LIGO experiment,
also generate sustainable evidence to inflationary theory.
This concept are related between them because represent
evidence in both ways. In other words the assumption
about one of them can derivate in the general idea of an-
other proposals. Also, the theory revels some aspects of
the origin of the universe. Inflationary theory implica-
tions are in every aspect of our lives, our past, and our
future. This theory allows us to fix several problems pre-
sented by one of the most accepted theories about the
beginning of the universe, the Big Bang Theory. Also,
help us to understand the first minutes of the existence
and also some phenomena that we can perceive in the
present days. Thinking in the future, the theory can also
help us to predict some aspect of the final days of our
universe. The future of the universe is unpredictable but
with application of discovery of new theories we can be
able to understand the whole universe. Finally, in the
future the proposals around the Big Bang theory will
change the establish paradigms because now in possible
research about where is the origin of the universe.
 4

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Vacuum decay in an interacting multiverse 4, 5 (2015).
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[1] Edge Gravitational Waves: The Big Bangs Smoking Gun, ,
The Inflationary Universe, www.edge.org, October 22, (2016).
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[2] Alan Guth A New Cosmic Discovery Could Be The Closest Weve
Inflation and the new era of high-precision cosmology, 30, Come to the Beginning of Time, (2014).
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The five ages of the universe, (1999).