Cosmic Abundances
Production of the Light Elements in the Big Bang
One important success of the big bang model has been in describing the abundance of
light elements such as hydrogen, helium, and lithium in the Universe. These
elements are produced in the big bang, and to some degree in stars.
Analysis of the oldest stars, which
contain material that is the least altered from that produced originally in the big
bang, indicate abundances that are in very good agreement with the predictions of
the hot big bang.