Graphical timeline from the Big Bang to the heat death of the universe
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This is a timeline of the Universe from the Big Bang to the heat death scenario. The different eras of the universe are shown. The heat death will occur in around 1.7×10106 years, if protons decay.[citation needed]
If protons decay
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If protons do not decay
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Scale
[edit]A logarithmic scale is usually used for timelines, but it compresses the significant Stelliferous Era too much. Therefore, a double-logarithmic scale (s, or s*100 in the graphics) is preferred, with a minimum value of 1 instead of 0. This avoids uninformative negative values for inputs under 10. Consequently, the time span from 0.1 to 10 years is represented as a single point at 0, which is acceptable since there are no notable events in the universe's history during that period.
| year | log10 year | combination of log10log10 year and -log10(-log10 year) |
|---|---|---|
| 1010000 | 10000 | 4 |
| 101000 | 1000 | 3 |
| 10100 | 100 | 2 |
| 1010 | 10 | 1 |
| 102 | 2 | 0.30 |
| 101 | 1 | 0 |
| 100 | 0 | undefined but here forced to 0 |
| 10−1 | -1 | 0 |
| 10−2 | -2 | -0.30 |
| 10−10 | -10 | -1 |
| 10−100 | -100 | -2 |
| 10−1000 | -1000 | -3 |
The seconds in the timescale have been converted to years by using the Julian year.
See also
[edit]- Big Crunch – Hypothetical scenario for the ultimate fate of the universe
- Big Freeze – Aspect of physical cosmology
- Big Rip – Cosmological model
- Chronology of the universe – History and future of the universe
- False vacuum decay – Hypothetical vacuum, less stable than true vacuum
- Graphical timeline of the Big Bang – Logarithmic chronology of the event that began the Universe
- Graphical timeline of the Stelliferous Era
- Heat death of the universe – Possible fate of the universe
- List of other end scenarios than Heat Death – Theories about the end of the universe
- Tiny Graphical timeline from Big Bang to Heat Death – Aspect of physical cosmology - Timeline uses the log scale for comparison with the double-logarithmic scale in this article.
References
[edit]- Fred C. Adams; Greg Laughlin (19 June 2000). The Five Ages of the Universe: Inside the Physics of Eternity. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-86576-8.
