Suppose that heavy elements were common in the clouds that would form the first stars during the Dark Ages.How would the history of our Universe be different?
A) The Dark Ages would have ended later, all other things being equal.
B) The first stars would have been more massive.
C) Black holes would have formed instead of stars.
D) Stars would not have formed until much later.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of heavy elements in the clouds that would form the first stars would have facilitated cooling processes, allowing the gas to collapse more readily and form stars earlier. This would have led to the Dark Ages ending sooner, not later, contrary to what option A suggests. Heavy elements act as cooling agents in the interstellar medium, enabling the gas to lose energy more efficiently and collapse to form stars.

Suppose That Heavy Elements Were Common in the Clouds That