LANDMARKS IN THE HISTORY OF UNINTELLIGENT DESIGN
NEUTRON DECAY

 

FROM THE FIRST SECOND TO THE THIRD MINUTE

Just previous to the first second when Baryonic Matter was forming, energy levels were still extremely high. Protons and neutrons were interconverted and were equally numerous.

Continual expansion caused further cooling. As the first second finally passed, Weak Force separated from the Electromagnetic Force and took effect. Weak force caused the one-sided decay of neutrons to protons.

 

Neutron decay depends on changing the flavor of a single down quark to an up quark. In the process a high energy electron and an anti-neutrino are emitted. The Feynman diagram on the left summarizes this.

If neutron decay had continued the early universe would have consisted only of hydrogen. This was not to be. The ratio of protons to neutrons soon became about 7:1. The ratio stabilized because further cooling allowed the protons and neutrons to get much closer to each other. Under the influence of Strong Force they formed combinations that led to deuterium and helium nuclei. This process is known as Nucleosynthesis.