The big bang theory and why i think its wrong

In summary, the Big Bang Theory is a theory that explains how the universe was created. It states that the universe came into existence when atoms (or particles) collided and caused a massive explosion. After that, the universe evolved and became the way it is today.
  • #1
halo2fan120
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The Big Bang Theory:
The Big Bang Theory is one of many theory's on how the universe was created. From what i have learned of it, the universe was thought to have been created by to atoms (or particles) colliding together and causing a massive explosion which created the universe we know today.

But what i don't understand is how the two atoms (or particles) would've collided without a force acting upon them.

One of Isaac Newtons laws states, "An object at rest remains at rest unless acted on by an outside force".

can any please explain how the atoms (or particles) collided then?
 
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  • #2
halo2fan120 said:
From what i have learned of it, the universe was thought to have been created by to atoms (or particles) colliding together

This is not true. No wonder you were confused.

Where did you read this? Regardless, a bit of reading from any trustworthy cosmology book should clear up your confusion.
 
  • #3
The Big Bang Theory is one of many theory's on how the universe was created.
This is not true, either. What the theory describes is how the universe evolved from its earliest moments to the state which it is in today. The cause of the Big Bang, in as far as that juxtaposition of concepts even makes sense, is not even really part of the purview of physics.

The (biological) Theory of Evolution is an almost exact analogy. It describes how life evolved from its beginnings to the variety we observe today. How those beginnings came about is a question that belongs to an entirely different discipline.
 
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  • #4
onomatomanic said:
This is not true, either. What the theory describes is how the universe evolved from its earliest moments to the state which it is in today. The cause of the Big Bang, in as far as that juxtaposition of concepts even makes sense, is not even really part of the purview of physics.

Good point.
 
  • #5
Not to mention that the big bang theory is not one of many theories; it is essentially the only such theory (in the sense of the scientific word "theory").
 
  • #6
Scientists are fond of BB theory because it is consistent with a vast body of observational evidence. Little, if any, of this evidence is inconsistent with BB theory. Liking it is optional.
 
  • #7
halo2fan120 said:
One of Isaac Newtons laws states, "An object at rest remains at rest unless acted on by an outside force".

In addition to what other people have said, the forces we know today (electromagnetic, gravity, weak, strong) did not exist in the first few moments of the universe. They were combined as one unified force and it was only later that they broke apart: gravity first, then strong and electroweak, then electroweak split into electromagnetism and the weak nuclear force. Also, just as we can't know the exact origins or cause of matter-energy we can't know the origin or cause of that first unified force.

What some people have deduced is that, since things seem to unify as you trace back to the big bang (forces, matter and energy, other things), that all those unifications might have once been unified. In other words, that somehow forces, time, energy, matter, the empty space between everything, etc. was unified into one, truly zero-dimensional, point. Because there's no way of testing this or any way of collecting evidence, however, as other people have said, this conjecture isn't science, it's closer to philosophy, or science fiction (fiction based in science, in the same sense that fiction based on historical events is historical fiction). Which, to me, is a perfectly acceptable thing, just make sure you know it's not science.
 
  • #8
Also the big bang wasn't an "explosion" instead it was an expansion. Why it expanded we aren't sure. The fact of the matter is the only other theory to challenge the the big bang was called "The Steady State".

The name "big bang" was actually coined by the steady state followers to discredit the theory.

The first short short period of the big bang, was said to contain all of the hydrogen in a small area, this created helium due to the nuclear effect. There is a book "First Three Minutes" https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465024378/?tag=pfamazon01-20 <-- amazon link, which discusses the first moments of the theory.
 
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  • #9
I suppose it depends on how short a time period you're talking about, but initially the universe was far too hot for atoms, let alone molecules, to form (they'd simply break apart again). In fact, for the first few micro-seconds or so it was too hot for even the larger subatomic particles (protons and neutrons) to form. After a while, though, things calmed down enough for atoms to form, and, eventually, molecules. The first atoms were probably mostly hydrogen, but a few of them would be others like helium. Some of the hydrogen fused pretty quickly into helium, and, I would guess, helium would occasionally fuse to form other things. Around this time the universe also became transparent (would have basically been a hot white soup before), though I forget which happened first (atoms or transparency).
 
  • #10
StarkRG said:
Around this time the universe also became transparent (would have basically been a hot white soup before), though I forget which happened first (atoms or transparency).
Transparency is the result of recombination, meaning the formation of neutral atoms from nuclei and free electrons. This is basically a chemical process and occurs at much lower energies (and thus at much later times) than the processes that form the nuclei.
 
  • #11
StarkRG said:
Around this time the universe also became transparent (would have basically been a hot white soup before), though I forget which happened first (atoms or transparency).

atw (according to Wiki):
Nucleosynthesis (creation of atomic nuclei) occurs between 3 and 20 minutes After BB,
First Light (transparency) occurs around 377,000 years ABB.

It is the bonding of electrons to the nuclei, and the resultant neutrally-charged atoms, that causes the universe to turn transparent.

[EDIT: beat me to it]
 
  • #12
How can one say that the universe began anyway. You'd be defining it in terms of itself. Wouldn't you need another universe with a stopwatch looking at the the other universe seeing it begin? (And it saying see, It took 45 seconds to do so and so.) How can everything get compressed into a singularity. Wouldn't that break the laws of Quantum Mechanics by being able to define the position and angular momentum of something at the same time?
 
  • #13
There another thing that confuses me. If the universe is expanding from the BB, won't that effect the force of gravity? Since gravity is the distortion of space. What would the math be on that? Same amount of objects but ever increasing space. objects / space as space -> infinity. Wouldn't the curve of space caused by gravity have to fill up ever increasing volume, especially at it's fringe?
 
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  • #14
Snotly said:
Wouldn't that break the laws of Quantum Mechanics by being able to define the position and angular momentum of something at the same time?

The physical laws of our universe were brought into existence with its birth. There were no QM laws before or even during the BB.
 
  • #15
Snotly said:
There another thing that confuses me. If the universe is expanding from the BB, won't that effect the force of gravity? Since gravity is the distortion of space. What would the math be on that? Same amount of objects but ever increasing space. objects / space as space -> infinity. Wouldn't the curve of space caused by gravity have to fill up ever increasing volume, especially at it's fringe?

Objects* are moving apart; their gravity wells move apart with them. The space in between gets flatter. There's no conflict.

*galaxy clusters. Nothing smaller than galaxy clusters is pulled apart by the expansion of the universe. Gravity of galxies and anythnig smaller easily overwhelms the expansion.
 
  • #16
DaveC426913 said:
The physical laws of our universe were brought into existence with its birth. There were no QM laws before or even during the BB.

So the universe can make up its own rules. Why should it then follow any rules at all?
I know that it does because otherwise I wouldn't be able to type this over the internet. Since electricity follows all the rules and all the rules could change in an instant. What are the rules that govern the rules? What rules define those rules, and so on Ad infinitum? Wouldn't we get to a point where what we are describing is pointless? Looking from one universe into the next universe where one doesn't care for the other. Are we there right now?
 
  • #17
Snotly said:
So the universe can make up its own rules. Why should it then follow any rules at all?
The physical laws of the universe (such as the strength of the four fundamental forces) were fixed in the first few fractions of a second after its birth, in what's called symmetry-breaking. Roll the universe back to the BB and let it run again, and it will assuredly break a different way, leading to completely and utterly different physical laws. There might not even be atoms.


But since it fell the way it did. This universe follows those rules and always will for its life.
 
  • #18
StarkRG said:
...Around this time the universe also became transparent (would have basically been a hot white soup before), though I forget which happened first (atoms or transparency).

"..I forget which happened first..." :rofl: that's just too funny...like, 'well, it was sooo long ago'
 
  • #19
Snotly said:
So the universe can make up its own rules. Why should it then follow any rules at all?
I know that it does because otherwise I wouldn't be able to type this over the internet. Since electricity follows all the rules and all the rules could change in an instant. What are the rules that govern the rules? What rules define those rules, and so on Ad infinitum? Wouldn't we get to a point where what we are describing is pointless? Looking from one universe into the next universe where one doesn't care for the other. Are we there right now?

I wouldn't describe things as following rules, because rules sound like things someone made up. These "rules" you refer to are intrinsic physical and geometrical properties. The rules more accurately are what reasons we assign to these properties.
 

1. What is the big bang theory?

The big bang theory is a scientific model that explains the origin of the universe. It proposes that the universe began as a singularity, a point of infinite density and temperature, approximately 13.8 billion years ago. This singularity expanded rapidly, creating the universe we know today.

2. Why do some scientists think the big bang theory is wrong?

There are several reasons why some scientists question the validity of the big bang theory. One of the main issues is that it does not explain what caused the singularity to explode and create the universe. Additionally, there is no way to observe or test the singularity, making it a theoretical concept. Some scientists also argue that the theory does not account for the observed distribution of galaxies and cosmic microwave background radiation.

3. Is there any evidence to support the big bang theory?

Yes, there is a significant amount of evidence that supports the big bang theory. One of the strongest pieces of evidence is the cosmic microwave background radiation, which is a remnant of the thermal energy from the early universe. The abundance of light elements in the universe, such as hydrogen and helium, also aligns with predictions made by the big bang theory. Additionally, the expanding universe and the redshift of galaxies also support the theory.

4. What are some other proposed theories about the origin of the universe?

There are several alternative theories to the big bang, such as the steady state theory, which proposes that the universe has always existed in a continuous state of expansion. Another theory is the oscillating universe model, which suggests that the universe undergoes cycles of expansion and contraction. Some scientists also explore the possibility of a multiverse, where our universe is just one of many parallel universes.

5. Why is the big bang theory still widely accepted despite its flaws?

Despite the criticisms and flaws of the big bang theory, it is still the most widely accepted explanation for the origin of the universe. This is because it is supported by a vast amount of evidence and has been consistently validated through observations and experiments. Additionally, the theory is continuously being refined and improved upon as scientists discover new information about the universe. It is also worth noting that no alternative theory has been able to fully explain the observations and evidence as effectively as the big bang theory.

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