Origin of Matter

[Canute]

Is there an orthodox scientific view on the origin of matter or is this invariably considered to be a metaphysical question?

[franznietzsche]

Originally posted by Canute
Is there an orthodox scientific view on the origin of matter or is this invariably considered to be a metaphysical question?

AS far as i know there was a Bang. Anything before that is incosequential, as it could not have affected our universe.

[TillEulenspiegel]

There is an fairly accepted delineation of particles and matter arising as time went forward after the BB. Deemed the four eras it breaks down like this:

Heavy particle era , time < 10-6 s, large particles and anti- particles appear
Light particles, T<10^-6
Radiation, T<300 secs.
Matter, T >1 million years.

[Canute]

I've got that bit thanks. But is there anything more to the BB hypothesis than a rabbit coming out of a hat, and is it thought that any matter has come into being since the BB (via quantum fluctuations etc.).

[Nereid]

Well, just for starters, we cannot know what happened in the first ~10-43 s, because our two highly successful theories of physics (QM/Standard Model and General Relativity) are in conflict during this period. Maybe vast amounts of matter were created? We have no way to tell until we have a theory that can address that first Planck time.

[Deeviant]

If your strictly asking of the origin of matter, it is not a such an unobtainable question as the initial burst of energy converted itself into matter according to rules that we already know, If you aknowledge we can't exactely explain the broken symmetry between matter and anti-matter. An interesting note is only something like 1 out of billion parts of energy got converted into matter.

It is the initial burst of energy that is a tough one, however, there are no shortage of intriguing theories and ideas out there. I would suggest you get a couple books on cosmology.

[Canute]

Thanks. I'm aware of most of the theories of post BB expansion etc. , (very roughly). I was just checking if there was any 'orthodox' view or conjecture (or any scientific view at all) on how it all got started.

I know that this is not a question science can answer, but I wondered if there was any concensus on what kind of answer it might have. I assume not, but am still checking.

[Nereid]

Canute: I know that this is not a question science can answer, but I wondered if there was any concensus on what kind of answer it might have. I assume not, but am still checking. Not so fast! There are a number of people - including several PF members - who can give you good reasons to think that it is a question which science may be able to answer (but not just yet). If you look at the Strings section of Physics you'll see much discussion of two possibles; the Astronomy & Cosmology section also has much discussion.

[Canute]

I'll do that.