Astronomers Have Measured That There Is More Helium in the Universe

Multiple Choice

Astronomers have measured that there is more helium in the universe than can be explained by the fusion in stars over the last 13 billion years. How do they think the extra helium got into the universe?

A) the extra helium was produced in the accretion disks of supermassive black holes
B) the extra helium was made during the first few minutes of the Big Bang, when the entire universe was hot enough for fusion to occur briefly
C) the extra helium was produced by the interaction of dark matter with the material at the edges of all galaxies
D) the extra helium was produced recently during Type Ia supernova explosions
E) the idea that there is extra helium has been shown to be in error; we were confused by the high red shifts of distant galaxies distorting their spectra
Section 29.4: The Cosmic Microwave Background