Science has been known to provide answers to a lot of events in the world. From the mysterious day that suddenly went dark in May 19, 1780 in New England, of which many feared was the end of the world known as The Dark Day, to the fear of clustered asymmetric holes, a phobia which many have and which has a name: trypohobia. The psychological scientists seem to have zeroed in on the reason for this fear. Oh yes, it's a real fear borne out of our survival instinct.
Science for a long time have consistently tried to solve the homework given to it by nature, but sometimes some of the assignments are pretty tough and getting the answer may not be easy.
The Moment After The Big Bang
Just in case you have not heard, the Big Bang was that explosion that happened around 13.8 billion years ago that was the birth of the universe.
Moments (3mins) after the massive explosion, the temperature decreased to about 1 billion degree Celsius.
The History of the Universe By TheAstronomyBum [CC0]
from Wikimedia Commons Fast forward to 300,000 years we now have a cooler Universe at 3000 degrees. The formation of atoms was possible as atomic nuclei combine with electrons. We now have the Universe that contains helium and hydrogen.
200 million years later, there was the formation of the first galaxies and stars. Here starts the era of the modern universe as we know it. Today, 13.8 billion years later, we have the Universe as we see it.
A graph showing the addition of "inflation" (the microseconds rapid growth expansion in the 100 billion trillion trillion factor) which the original Big Bang Theory originally lacked. [CC0]
from Wikimedia Commons There is a name for that trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second after the big bang; 10-43 seconds is a pretty small number. It is known as the Plank Epoch which was the idea of the Max Plank, the physicist. He is the pioneer of quantum physics. In 1900 he described energy (light plus other electromagnetic waves) as quanta which define energy as something which is emitted in discrete packets. The values of which are as contained in the constant named after him - Planck constant.
Though his quantisation ideas was a formal assumption which got more development as Einstein builds on it, Max got a Nobel Prize in 1918 for his development of the quantum theory.
The Problem of the First Moment
The whole setup of the Universe initially starts off compressed to a single point and extremely hot. Then was then an explosion (Big Bang) which is followed by cosmic inflation. In other words, the Universe started expanding.
But like I mentioned above, just before the expansion that little period (0 to 10-43s) after the Big Bang with temperatures at 1032, is known as the Planck epoch.
The problem is how to describe what happened at that period. Easy? No. What is the problem? It is mathematical and no not that no one can solve, more as no one can reconcile it. Does it make any sense? Not surprised if it does not, but I am bringing more details.
The Universe four fundamental forces were all tied together.
The Four Fundamental Forces By Kvr.lohith [CC BY-SA 4.0]
from Wikimedia Commons The physics four fundamental forces are the strong forces (which holds nucleus together), the weak forces which handles the radioactive decay, electromagnetic force which is very much the force which exists between magnetic force and charges, and the last force the gravity, which like the electromagnetic force, has an infinite range and binds the solar system.
These forces separate into distinct forces and exhibit their characteristics as the temperature of the universe cool.
Now the problem I mentioned above is the inability to express the behaviour of these four forces mathematically as a single entity.
This difficulty is mainly down to the physics models available for explaining the dynamics/mechanism of the universe.
These two models are quantum mechanics which deals with subatomic states at nanoscopic levels; and Einstein's brainchild: the general relativity which looks at the distortion in space-time perceived as gravity, it looks at the effect of acceleration and gravity.
The incompatibility which the two models bring to the tables in the area of mathematics is the big bone of contention.
While the quantum camp is all about the probability of things being in a particular state or superposition, the general relativity side has everything mathematically defined in specific numbers giving no room for probabilities. Getting these two strange bedfellows together as obtainable during the Planck Epoch event using a mathematical model has proved more difficult to achieve. For lack of a better term, there is really no way of calculating the gravity using probabilities. The same is also true of the quantum mechanics; there are no mathematical means of expressing the quantum states in specific numbers, things are at best fuzzy. Reason: the rules don't apply.
The theory that can unify these different set of rules are ones a lot of scientists are looking for. Stephen Hawking was one of those scientists who has tried to make sense of the Theory of Everything; a theory unifying different fundamental laws of physics.
An overview of particle physics showing the Theory of Everything By Headbomb [CC BY-SA 3.0]
from Wikimedia Commons The idea is a hypothetical one which some believe to be a bit of a stretch. A view some do not agree with.
A Theory of Everything must account for the fact that the universe is "messy and complicated," he tells us, and for the limitations imposed by the questions we ask and the information we can obtain. The key lies in the remarkable capacity of mathematics to express the fundamental workings of the physical world--a language that the human mind is uniquely equipped to understand and manipulate. Barrow examines what mathematics actually is and describes how it makes the universe intelligible and provides a path to the underlying coherence in nature. Theories of Everything: The Quest for Ultimate Explanation
But until someone definitely comes up with that theory that sufficiently unifies these forces and express it as an equation, we will forever have some mystery about our Universe's first moment.
References
That's why religion base their theory on God. I guess till the end of the world or when the eart will finally be sucked up by the sun, we would have no answer to how the first matter, particle or quatum came into existence. That stuff is got to come from a source which created it out of nothing, else, we would still be in a loop...
Nice post bro.
You are right damzxyno. The religion's God theory appears to be more convincing. However, from science point of view the God theory is fallacious.
Sometimes it makes me feel like “something is nothing and nothing is something” is you know why I mean
Sadly we’re can’t fully understand the universe and we’re not meant to understand the universe so the loop is basically eternal
But anyway I still believe there’s SOMETHING in the nothing
@damzxyno, I wish the answer is scientific, but it's all good :)
Such a long time reading your post...I always learn something from them...
Will there be another big bang?
There is one every second in our minds.
Ha! Ha! Just kidding bro.
yes this post is very long. I want to come back later and read through it. Actually I have a folder in my computer, for informative and long posts like this, where I go back and re-read. Because on Steemit there is no way to favorite.
Yo!!! You got me scared there...
Aii bro
@yanga, that's an interesting question. If there is it'd sure create another universe.
quantum theory appears to be counter-intuitive. However, in time past it correctly predicted many experimental phenomena such as the energy levels in atoms. Scientists are now looking for a way to combine quantum theory with the theory of gravity to produce a so-called 'theory of everything'. For me this theory have no answer on how the universe came into existence.
The theory will have some of the answers if and when it is deployed.
Finding the equation that unifies the universe or the first moment of its existence is in the hands of the creator...as a scientist sir green, do you believe in big_bang? Nice writeup bro...
I just wish we could keep it scientific, oh well, I can only hope :)
Then by the negation-derivation operation is made a relatively balanced pair (close) and its dimensions.
Then do a repetition of the development of space-time and dimension-derived. Furthermore, the basic energy (Trend) is prepared with a special composition into form material and derived energy.
And with lots of fractal iterations, big bang happens. Furthermore, from the interaction of matter and energy that occur various phenomena of the universe as we see today.
Thank you for your continued engagement.
Another interesting aspect to consider here is that quantum theory, the only other well-known theory besides general relativity which tries to explain the origin of the universe in a way tells us that singularities cannot exist (or precisely it theorizes that a subatomic particle cannot inhibit a space smaller than its wavelength) but even it would break down at the beginning of big bang and at the center of black holes.
Once you delve into the quantum theory of things, a lot of things that are currently hard to explore becomes more accessible. It is a fascinating and exciting part of physics.
I see our universe and its mysteries as the ultimate frontier regarding knowledge, and unless there are parallel universes, it will forever be the ultimate frontier.
With enough time, I believe anything can be discovered, so if we keep evolving, one day we might find answers to these questions.
I think you made some vital point here; it is a great frontier worthy of exploring even if not conquered.
Always so nice to learn something new on your blog :)
Thank you.
i was wondering, why was it called the big bang?
were there small bangs?
I guess what was needed then to get things in motion was something big or huge. Would you be interested in a Small Bang Theory? :)
i wouldn't mind learning some more :D
Ok, get ready then :)
Note that the wording 'Planck Epoch' has been done in honour to Max Planck and not by max Planck himself. The reason is that Max Planck proposed the set of units (known today as the Planck units) that defines the Planck epoch (without any reference to cosmology). There is a tiny difference in there.
By the way, everything you say is right, according to standard cosmology. This is a strong assumption and you have alternatives :)
1 and 0? Quantum mechanics is more than 1s and 0s...
I just want to keep it simple. I hope the simplicity did not throw off vital points. You are right about the Planck Epoch; the name was, as you rightly pointed out, made in his honour.
Well, in fact, saying that does not mean anything. Or I don't see what you mean... Sorry :D
Oh no. You got me on that one :)
Well, it means something.
Yes but what?
Ok, it is that branch of physics that tries to make sense of the action of subatomic particles right on the nanoscopic levels. It is the red pill on the Matrix for people who want to see how deep the rabbit hole goes :)
I meant that quantum mechanics is not connected to 0 and 1. Quantum computing comes from there, but this is not the opposite.
Well, in fact, saying that quantum mechanics does not mean anything. I actually don't see what you mean... Sorry :D
There are things that actually science cannot actually define or explain, most times they tag it hypothesis.... Equation to actually explain the genesis of the universe is really going to be out of this world, As in, it's going to be a real waooooo. But I don't see the possibility of that in the next 200 years to come.
Somethings are just left unexplained.
Who knows, it actually might be possible, science is really going deeper and deeper everyday, but hehehe I really do have my doubts, theories will exist and a lot of scientist obviously will try to propound several theories, equations and a lot principles all in an attempt to explain the universe.
Sitting and crossing my legs in anticipation.
Nice article @greenrun
Impossibility is nothing in the realm of science. Two hundred years? A lot could happen before that.
I started on a good note, and got lost along the way. Big bang came into place 13.8 billion years ago? Can't really wrap my head around this. My head start spinning when I think of it. Informative piece there @greenrun. This piece has made me know where planck came from. Being doing this is physics but didn't how it came about.
There's a lot of science in your post, I like that.
Are you a physicist?
Thanks a lot. Yes, I love physics, so I guess that makes me a physicist :)
From this I can conclude that the Big Bang actually saved us as we might have been living in an extremely hot universe if not for it.
I've read amny times about the "Theory of Everything" and its attempts in giving us a unified view of the four big forces..I haven't quite gotten myself around it but definitely, this is another insight I found useful...
Thanks for your analysis
Saved? I'd say we won't be here if there was no Big Bang; that implies there would be no Universe. At least not in the form we have today.
Oh, that's in the more appropriate term..Thanks for the reply
Hello @greenrun
In my many years of being a student of physics and geography, I have never heard about big bang phenomenon which brought the universe as we have it currently into existence. I like the way you went about explaining this concept in detail with matching images.
Appropriate CC0 images are very difficult to come by and I really wonder how you guys do come by your images because I spent approximately not less than 4 hours lookin for images for each STEM targeted post I made?
Thanks for always being up and doing.
@eurogee of @euronation community
Hello @eurogee, getting free images can be challenging, but even if you don't get that exact image you have in mind if you search long enough, there is a possibility of getting one very close enough. Thank you.
A deepening elucidation on the big bang, I must say. I do not want to sound bizarre but sometimes, I do think that with the way the world is going, we've gone way past the period of trying to understand what binds or unknots the world. The world has lived way longer than that so that what is now needed is just for us to live and let live. If scientists want to do the world a whole lot of good, they should really drop the idea of trying to understand the world and focus on ore sociological and anthropological paths. Man is the bane of the world!
Did I just read above correctly? Don't you think there are lots of possibilities and things to learn if we explore the universe? Do you think it is a waste all these billions spent on space exploration and the likes to understand our planet and other close neighbours further? I, on the other hand, will beg to disagree with you on that, so long as there are questions, I think science will always get or at least try to get us the answers. Thank you.