Question

What is postulated to have caused a sudden inflation of the early universe?

A) the annihilation of matter and antimatter
B) the separation of the electromagnetic and weak forces
C) the ""freezing out"" of the strong force from the GUT force
D) the energy released in the fusion of protons and neutrons to produce helium
E) giant quantum fluctuations

Answer 1

The sudden inflation of the early universe is believed to have been caused by the separation of the strong nuclear force from the electroweak force during the Inflationary Epoch.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phenomenon postulated to have caused a sudden inflation of the early universe is the separation of the strong nuclear force from the electroweak force (choice C). This event occurred during the Inflationary Epoch, approximately between 10-36 to 10-32 seconds after the Big Bang. During this period, the universe experienced a rapid expansion by a factor of 1050 or more, which is even considered to have occurred faster than the speed of light. The separation marked a critical point in the cooling of the universe where fundamental forces like the strong nuclear force, electromagnetism, and weak nuclear force became distinct entities.