Baryon Asymmetry: Why is Matter More Abundant?

In summary, baryon asymmetry is a phenomenon in physics where there is an unequal abundance of matter and antimatter in the universe. It is one of the biggest mysteries in physics and understanding it could help us better understand the laws of physics and the origins of the universe. Baryon asymmetry is related to the Big Bang theory and can be indirectly observed through experiments and the study of cosmic microwave background. However, there is currently no definitive answer to the baryon asymmetry problem and scientists are still working on finding a satisfactory explanation for this phenomenon.
  • #1
spidey
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Its said that matter is more abundant than antimatter in observable universe and hence comes the baryon asymmetry...but why matter and antimatter should be equal in amount...which law governs this?
 
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  • #2
Matter "condensed" out of radiation (think radiation era). We know two colliding photons will pair produce given the correct energy to produce a particle and its corresponding anti-particle - this would yield exactly similar quantities for antimatter and matter from the standard model.
 
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1. What is baryon asymmetry?

Baryon asymmetry is a phenomenon in physics that refers to the unequal abundance of matter and antimatter in the universe. According to the Big Bang theory, equal amounts of matter and antimatter were produced in the early universe, but for some unknown reason, matter came to dominate and antimatter mostly disappeared.

2. Why is baryon asymmetry important?

Baryon asymmetry is important because it is one of the biggest mysteries in physics. It is a fundamental question about the universe and understanding it could help us better understand the laws of physics and the origins of the universe.

3. How does baryon asymmetry relate to the Big Bang theory?

Baryon asymmetry is related to the Big Bang theory because it is believed that the unequal abundance of matter and antimatter is a result of processes that occurred in the early universe. The Big Bang theory is the most widely accepted explanation for the origins of the universe, and understanding baryon asymmetry is crucial in furthering our understanding of this theory.

4. Can baryon asymmetry be observed?

Baryon asymmetry can be indirectly observed through experiments conducted at particle accelerators, such as the Large Hadron Collider. Scientists are also studying the cosmic microwave background, which is radiation left over from the Big Bang, to gather more information about the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the early universe.

5. How do scientists explain the baryon asymmetry problem?

There is currently no definitive answer to the baryon asymmetry problem. Some theories suggest that there may be a yet-to-be-discovered particle or force that could explain the unequal abundance of matter and antimatter. Others propose that there may have been a fundamental asymmetry in the laws of physics at the time of the Big Bang. Scientists are still working to find a satisfactory explanation for this phenomenon.

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