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goat-on-a-stick
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Wikipedia states that, after he heat death of the universe: "Random quantum fluctuations or quantum tunneling can produce another Big Bang in
years."
How would this work?
How would this work?
The initial seed would be smaller than a proton. You don't need much of any mass (neither mass nor energy are conserved in an expanding universe).goat-on-a-stick said:I do not understand, with atoms and particles so far apart, how could they possibly accumulate into enough mass to create a big bang?
I saw a discussion about the origin of the universe on Youtube once, I think it was an Issac Asimov debate, but not sure. From it, my understanding is that tiny pockets of empty space can just form out of the laws of quantum physics, and that the mathematics of general relativity say that completely empty space has an outward pressure and will expand rapidly. Rapidly expanding space is thought to create intense Hawking radiation which fills it with energy.goat-on-a-stick said:Less than a proton! This is totally above my head. Thank you for your help. Do you recommend any webpages or reading materials to help me further understand this theory?
I thought that the seed would have exactly zero energy?Chalnoth said:The initial seed would be smaller than a proton. You don't need much of any mass (neither mass nor energy are conserved in an expanding universe).
That's not entirely clear. Maybe. It depends a bit upon how you define energy (General Relativity doesn't have an unambiguous definition for total energy, and in a lot of situations it's not even possible to come up with a definition of total energy).newjerseyrunner said:I thought that the seed would have exactly zero energy?
Quantum tunneling is a phenomenon in which a particle can pass through a potential barrier even though it does not have enough energy to overcome it. This is possible due to the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics, where particles can exist in multiple states at the same time. In quantum tunneling, there is a small probability that the particle will "tunnel" through the barrier and end up on the other side.
This is a highly debated topic in the scientific community and there is currently no consensus. While quantum tunneling has been observed in experiments, its application to the creation of a Big Bang after heat death is still a theoretical concept and has not been proven.
The heat death of the universe is a hypothetical scenario in which the universe reaches a state of maximum entropy, where all energy is evenly distributed and no work can be done. Quantum tunneling has been proposed as a possible mechanism for creating a new Big Bang in this scenario, as it allows for the possibility of fluctuations and new energy states to arise.
Currently, there is no direct evidence to support this idea. However, some theoretical models and calculations have been proposed to explore the possibility. Further research and experimentation are needed to gather more evidence and test the validity of this concept.
If this idea were to be proven true, it would have significant implications for our understanding of the universe and the laws of physics. It would challenge the notion of a linear timeline and the concept of a definitive beginning and end to the universe. It could also provide insights into the nature of energy and the potential for new universes to arise.