Spontaneous symmetry breaking

In summary, the early spontaneous symmetry breaking in the first instant of standard theory is thought to have been caused by exponential expansion. This is believed to have resulted in equal amounts of matter and anti-matter in the early Big Bang universe. The observed expansion may still be causing spontaneous symmetry breaking and producing matter-anti-matter pairs. However, it is unclear if we have detected them, are actively looking for them, or if they only occurred in the first picoseconds. It is also suggested that spontaneous symmetry breaking is related to the period before the big bang in string theory, as discussed on the website http://superstringtheory.com. This site explores the connection between Inflation Theory and spontaneous symmetry breaking, which addresses the questions posed.
  • #1
bogie
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Was the early spontaneous symmetry breaking caused by exponential expansion in the first instant of standard theory?

Is that the reason that the early Big Bang universe is thought to have contained equal amounts of matter and anti-matter (produced by spontaneous symmetry breaking)?

Does the observed expansion continue to cause spontaneous symmetry breaking and produce matter anti-matter pairs? Have we detected them, are we looking for them, or is this something that just happened in the first picoseconds?

Or is everything about symmetry breaking a part of quantum mechanics and not Big Bang Theory at all?
 
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  • #2
Spontaneous symmetry breaking seems to be related to the period before the big bang in string theory. After some searching I found http://superstringtheory.com/index.html.

http://superstringtheory.com/cosmo/cosmo41.html addresses Inflation Theory and spontaneous symmetry breaking, and you can step through the whole site using the "previous" and "next" arrows.

The questions I was asking seem to be addressed.
 
  • #3


I can provide a response to this content. Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a phenomenon in which a system that appears symmetric at the macroscopic level actually has an underlying asymmetry at the microscopic level. This concept is important in various fields of physics, including particle physics and cosmology.

Regarding the question of whether the early spontaneous symmetry breaking was caused by exponential expansion in the first instant of standard theory, there is currently no definitive answer. The standard theory of cosmology, known as the Big Bang theory, does not fully explain the mechanism behind the initial symmetry breaking. However, some theories suggest that the rapid expansion of the universe in the first moments after the Big Bang could have played a role in this process.

It is also believed that the early universe contained equal amounts of matter and anti-matter, which were produced through spontaneous symmetry breaking. However, this is still a topic of ongoing research and debate in the scientific community.

As for the observed expansion causing continued spontaneous symmetry breaking and the production of matter-anti matter pairs, this is a complex question. While the expansion of the universe does play a role in the formation of particles, it is not the only factor. Other processes, such as particle collisions and interactions, also contribute to the production of matter and anti-matter.

To answer the question of whether we have detected matter-anti matter pairs or if we are still looking for them, the answer is both. Scientists have observed the production of matter and anti-matter in particle accelerators, but there is ongoing research to better understand this phenomenon and potentially detect it in other contexts.

Finally, while spontaneous symmetry breaking is a concept that is heavily studied in the field of quantum mechanics, it is also relevant to the Big Bang theory. In fact, the concept of spontaneous symmetry breaking is used to explain the origin of the Higgs field, which is a crucial component of the standard model of particle physics and is thought to have played a role in the early universe.

In conclusion, the concept of spontaneous symmetry breaking is a complex and ongoing area of research in both quantum mechanics and the Big Bang theory. While the exact mechanisms and implications are still being studied, it is clear that this phenomenon has played a crucial role in the evolution of our universe.
 

What is spontaneous symmetry breaking?

Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a phenomenon in physics where a system that is initially symmetrical spontaneously becomes asymmetrical when it reaches a certain critical point.

What is the significance of spontaneous symmetry breaking?

Spontaneous symmetry breaking is significant because it helps explain why our universe has the asymmetrical properties that it does. It also plays a crucial role in many areas of physics, including particle physics, condensed matter physics, and cosmology.

How does spontaneous symmetry breaking occur?

Spontaneous symmetry breaking occurs when the potential energy of a system is minimized at one point, but the ground state is at a different point. This leads to the system breaking the symmetry between the two points and becoming asymmetrical.

What is an example of spontaneous symmetry breaking?

An example of spontaneous symmetry breaking is the Higgs mechanism, which explains how elementary particles acquire mass. In this mechanism, the symmetry between the electromagnetic and weak forces is broken, resulting in the particles gaining mass.

How does spontaneous symmetry breaking contribute to our understanding of the universe?

Spontaneous symmetry breaking is an essential concept in the Standard Model of particle physics, which is our current understanding of the fundamental particles and forces that make up our universe. It also helps explain the formation of structures in the early universe and the origin of the asymmetries we observe today.

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