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31st October 2003, 09:30 AM
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Hi,
Someone told me this about "quantum fluctuations." In the quantum world, there are things that can come from nothing, like virtual particles. Virtual particles arrise from quantum fluctuations, which is a quick change of energy at a point of space. It violates conservation of energy for a very small amount of time. It is possible that a fluctuation sparked the inflation of what is now the universe.  
Can anyone describe this to me in greater detail? For instance, how can a scientific law like conservation of energy be violated and still be a law?
Also, if no matter existed would a quantum fluctuation be possible?
Thanks!
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31st October 2003, 10:04 AM
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Reps: 33,304 (power: 47) | | Originally Posted by ps139 Also, if no matter existed would a quantum fluctuation be possible?
This I can answer, Yes. Quantum fluctations happen entirely independent of the presence of any matter.
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31st October 2003, 10:11 AM
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31st October 2003, 10:22 AM
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Reps: 37,540 (power: 65) | | Originally Posted by revolutio This I can answer, Yes. Quantum fluctations happen entirely independent of the presence of any matter.
So does this mean that if NOTHING existed ANYWHERE, if there was no space for anything to even exist in, they would still happen?
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31st October 2003, 10:34 AM
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Reps: 33,304 (power: 47) | | Originally Posted by ps139 So does this mean that if NOTHING existed ANYWHERE, if there was no space for anything to even exist in, they would still happen?
Quantum fluctuations are movements of the space-time fabric. If that fabric didn't exist then there would be no fluctuations. However if there were only no matter then they would still occur.
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31st October 2003, 12:04 PM
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Reps: 207 (power: 0) | | Originally Posted by ps139 So does this mean that if NOTHING existed ANYWHERE, if there was no space for anything to even exist in, they would still happen?
I believe the answer to this is *no*. Quantum fluctuations are a result of a kind of 'borrowing' or energy from a quantum field...this energy is quickly repaid to the field (creation-annihilation). In the absence of any quantum field, quantum fluctuations would not occur. But space-time is permeated with quantum fields (and in theory, should be a quantum field itself). A vacuum then has an energy density, even in the absence of any matter. But if there were no space at all (a null existence), then you shouldn't get quantum fluctuations. |
31st October 2003, 12:17 PM
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Reps: 207 (power: 0) | | Originally Posted by ps139 Hi,
Someone told me this about "quantum fluctuations." In the quantum world, there are things that can come from nothing, like virtual particles. Virtual particles arrise from quantum fluctuations, which is a quick change of energy at a point of space. It violates conservation of energy for a very small amount of time. It is possible that a fluctuation sparked the inflation of what is now the universe.
Can anyone describe this to me in greater detail? For instance, how can a scientific law like conservation of energy be violated and still be a law?
Also, if no matter existed would a quantum fluctuation be possible?
Thanks!
Quantum fluctuations occur on scales that are generally speaking, *far beyond* our ability to detect with even the most precise instruments. In addition, a fluctuation will borrow energy from a quantum field (and give rise to an electon and a positron say), but the energy is almost *instantly* paid back when the particles are annihilated. On average, then, and on macrosopic scales, no violation of macroscopic energy conservation is observed in a vaccuum.
By the way, quantum fluctuations represent *THE obstacle* for unifying general relativity and quantum mechanics. Thus, formulating a coherent theory on the BB remains somewhat enigmatic. Some formulations implicate a random fluctuation as the first cause in the BB.
Last edited by Mike Flynn; 31st October 2003 at 12:20 PM.
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31st October 2003, 04:22 PM
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Reps: 37,540 (power: 65) | | Very interesting! I appreciate all of your help in explaining this to me. Thanks 
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