How Did the First Molecules FORM in the Universe? The Start to Life!

CHAPTERS:
0:00 How did the first atoms form?
1:43 Why do atoms form molecules?
2:54 This molecule was the first to form
4:09 Arvin's Transparent head (Keeps Ad)
5:26 Why helium formed BEFORE Hydrogen
7:04 How did water form in the universe?
10:03 How did ORGANIC molecules form?

REFERENCES:

SUMMARY:
To make most complex structures in the universe like trees, and us, you need more than atoms. You need molecules. How do you go from atoms formed in the core of stars, to molecules that can lead to living things? How did the first molecules form?

What is a molecule? It's when two or more atoms connect via a chemical bond. Molecules form when it is more energetically favorable for two or more atoms to form bonds than to remain independent. In other words, the total energy of a system of atoms can be lower than individual atoms on their own. If we wrote the wave functions for hydrogen atoms, we would see that the total energy of the system becomes less when they form a chemical bond.

Hydrogen molecules would have formed when the universe was only around 380,000 years old, and are still around today, making them among the oldest molecules in existence. But these were NOT have been the first molecules to form. There is a molecule that formed even earlier than the hydrogen molecule, Helium Hydride, which formed when the universe younger, about 120,000 years old.

This is a positively charged ion consisting of a helium atom bound to a proton, or a hydrogen nucleus. These would have formed first because helium can absorb electrons at higher temperatures than hydrogen. Why? Because it is a noble element and has a higher ionization energy. It takes more energy to remove an electron from helium, so it tends to attract electrons at higher energy levels, so it formed when the universe was hotter at only 120,000 years old, whereas Hydrogen molecules didn’t form until the universe was cooler at 380,000 years old. But helium nuclei formed in very small quantities compared to hydrogen nuclei, just a few percent, so that’s why we don’t have a universe full of mostly helium atoms today.

But how did the molecules necessary for life form? Scientist aren’t completely sure of exactly how, but the evidence appears to point to a plausible scenario:

Over millions of years, helium and hydrogen floating in space condensed into dense clouds. which eventually coalesced into the first stars after about 100 million years. And then these stars burst into life and lit up the cosmos. These early stars, via fusion processes, began producing heavier elements inside their cores. And it was here that the first nuclei of atoms essential for life, like oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, were formed.

But while stellar processes do make heavier atoms, they don’t produce molecules. As best as we can tell, this is how the first molecules necessary for life appear to have been formed: The first stars came to the end of their life, and exploded as supernovae. This released all the heavier atoms which had formed within their cores into the coldness of space. The atoms cooled to a low enough temperature such that chemical bonds could form between them. These initial reaction would have produced some of the essential molecules for life, like carbon dioxide, methane, hydroxyl and water.
#firstmolecules
These were the precursors for more complex organic molecules, which could have formed in the earth's atmosphere around 4 billion years ago. There is scientific evidence supporting this idea.

There is also the possibility that the first organic molecules came from outside Earth, and not via terrestrial chemical processes. The most recent observational evidence shows that organic compounds seem to be ubiquitous in space: they are found in diffuse clouds, around evolved stars, in dense star-forming nebulae, in proto-planetary disks, in comets, in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles. This evidence seems to indicate that organic molecules may not be all that special in the universe. They may be everywhere. But this picture is not complete because we don’t yet fully understand these interstellar organic molecular formation processes.

[MickHealey]

Absolutely brilliant Arvin, thank you. I once heard that when the Earth formed it was too hot to support water, so there was none. They said that all the world’s oceans came from space, probably as comets. I always thought this was nonsense, but your video has made it very clear to me that this was not nonsense at all, but my lack of understanding. I’m going to watch your video again.

[Subutai]

As the great Carl Sagan said: We are all made of star stuff.
This was revolutionary for most people who at the time didn’t know almost anything about science. Sagan was one of the first scientist to provide scientific information to the general public in an easy to understand language. Those Cosmos documentaries were excellent.
Very good video. Keep on making more. The more people understand science, the better we will all be. Thank you.

[hupekyser]

The internet is a better place with you Arvin. Thank you for another amazing video

[savinolongo]

I was part of the team that since 2001 has been studying the formation kinetics of H2 in the early Universe. Those were very exciting years, we published several papers in the Astrophysical Journal, There are three mechanisms as the temperature drops, but the bulk is produced by the reaction H- + H -> H2 + e, "associative detachment".

[benmcreynolds]

Wow, so interesting that we are talking about molecules being formed in space and gas clouds and not just sticking to the theory that involves the process occuring on Earth. I just love the open minded approach to this complex mechanism that occured with in our universe.

[alansharples]

As somebody who trained as physical chemist i love the way you emphasize the physical basis of chemical bond information .Too many high school students leave without appreciating this fact. Chemical reactions are driven by thermodynamics and electromagnetism.! The famous chemist Linus Pauling was the first to apply quantum mechanics to bond formation, his understanding of carbon bonding led to the alpha-helix structure determination in proteins and eventually DNA (Although London did some work on hydrogen molecule bonding) .I find this topic fascinating. Well Done Alvin !

[malcolmabram]

First molecule to second molecule:
"I have lost an electron!"
Second molecule:
"Are you sure."
First molecule:
"Yes, I am positive."

[duhmez]

I loved this video for one really cool reason. I thought I knew as much as was possible for an enthusiastic layman about the early universe, then you hit me with the fact of there being semi stable helium hydride floating around for a while. I had never heard of this before. Very cool new info. Most educators are so excited about the hydrogen recombination they skip this cool part.

[vidarnollet]

With every video i get so many answers, yet even more questions.

[IncompleteTheory]

Absolutely mind-boggling to appreciate the complexity up to this level and still haven't gotten that deep into chemistry, let alone biology, let alone physiology and, ultimately, psychology and intellect. All from a bunch of fields interacting with each other in ways we cannot even calculate properly beyond a basic hydrogen atom.

[jeyhey]

When watching Sabine or Matthew leaves me with the impression that our current knowledge can barely explain anything about nature, I go to your videos to get the comforting feeling that we have a perfect understanding of the deepest principles of reality, the origin of our cosmos, and the meaning of the fundamental laws of physics.

[Jezee]

The theory of the sun ionizing atoms and making them more reactive actually makes a lot of sense!

[UKtownsendj]

Hairs looking great! Hope you are feeling great and more confident because of it!

Great video as always!

[chrisgriffith]

It is intriguing to me how different the early universe must have been at high temperatures, not allowing for atoms to form, that must have been really hot. So how are the new findings of JWST (rotating galaxies far earlier than expected) factoring into our models of the cosmic timeline?

[conocimientoexpandido]

Arvin. You are an honest and brilliant person. And that’s all it matters. Most scientists end up with no hair. I like to think is because we think too much. My Girlfriend also tells me I’m begging to lose it 😥😂

[goltltamas]

Many many thanx dear Arvin for all of your freely accessable knowledge here!!!

[vomeronasal]

Arvin- for the first time I watched a Keeps ad all the way through. You are the only YouTuber who is both losing his hair (and doesn't shave it bald) and using this product. Kudos. I, of course, have no need of such a product- my hair grows lush and rampant, except for the small part at the back rubbed by my pillow...

[tomn.]

Arvin, I had the same problem with my hair. I eat a cup of Jello every day to get gelatin in my system to grow hair., I have been doing this for 2 months so far and I have noticed new hair growing in at the hairline. I will keep doing this for sure Try it because it is a easy solution. Best of luck to you !!!!

[Williamb]

don’t understand the dust “grains” concept as a precursor to the formation of atoms and subsequently molecules
Dust grains must be comprised of atoms and molecules? Otherwise what are they made of?

[LOTUG]

The aliens who escape a dying universe got the process started in ours.