Question

Based on current evidence concerning the amount of deuterium in the universe, we can conclude that

A) ordinary (baryonic) matter makes up most of the mass of the universe.
B) neutrons greatly outnumber protons in the universe.
C) most of the deuterium that was created during the era of nucleosynthesis has since been destroyed.
D) the density of ordinary (baryonic) matter is between 1 percent and 10 percent of the critical density.
E) we live in a critical-density universe

Answer 1

The correct conclusion from the evidence on the amount of deuterium is that the density of ordinary (baryonic) matter is between 1 percent and 10 percent of the critical density, which corresponds to option (D).

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on current evidence concerning the amount of deuterium in the universe and its implications for the abundance and distribution of matter, we can conclude that the density of ordinary (baryonic) matter is between 1 percent and 10 percent of the critical density. This conclusion can be drawn because deuterium, a form of hydrogen, gives us clues about the conditions in the early universe. If the density had been higher, most deuterium would have been converted into helium, while a lower density means that enough space and time were present for some deuterium to survive without being converted.

Consequently, the correct choice is (D) the density of ordinary (baryonic) matter is between 1 percent and 10 percent of the critical density. The available measurements and theoretical models show that no more than 5% of the critical density can be made up of protons and neutrons, which are elements of ordinary matter. Furthermore, analyses indicate that dark energy and dark matter constitute the majority of the universe's critical density.