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The inflationary epoch is the term used in cosmology to describe the brief time in the very early universe when, according to inflation theory, the universe was expanding exponentially. It is believe to have occurred about 10-35 seconds after the Big Bang, and to have been caused by the phase transition which occurred when the strong force stopped being unified with the weak and electromagnetic forces, due to the cooling of the universe.
The inflationary epoch lasted about 10-32 seconds, and during this time, the size of the universe increased by a factor of 1050. This enormous expansion solves many of the problems of a simple big bang, such as the flatness problem and the horizon problem.
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