Couple of quantum fluctuation related questions from a curious layman

[danihel]

Hi,

is it true that:

1. when virtual particles/antiparticles come to existence every billionth particle survives? is it the reason why the universe consists of particles rather than antiparticles?

2. when virtual particles annihilate the energy gets absorbed by the vacuum in contrast with common particles whose energy is radiated out as photons?

 

[Naty1]

1. no.
I don't think there is a solid theory yet for why this universe consists of particles rather than antiparticles...Try reading about 'CP violation' for some ideas.

Virtual particles can be coaxed into existence via interaction with horizons...the cosmological horizon during inflation, and the Unruh Effect and Hawking radiation are also examples.
Such horizons may be intuitively thought of as boundaries of space and time where a particle on your side of the horizon is detectable,observable, therefore 'real', while it's partner on the other side is not detectable.

also:

...The term {virtual particle} is somewhat loose and vaguely defined, in that it refers to the view that the world is made up of "real particles": it is not; rather, "real particles" are better understood to be {observable} excitations of the underlying quantum fields. Virtual particles are also excitations of the underlying fields, but are "temporary" in the sense that they appear in calculations of interactions, but never as asymptotic states or indices to the scattering matrix.

My descriptions inside {}.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_particles



2. not quite. 'Annihilation' means elimination [destruction] when a particle and it's antiparticle collide.

Wikipedia notes that

... When a particle and its antiparticle collide, their energy is converted into a force carrier particle, such as a gluon, W/Z force carrier particle, or a photon...

more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annihilation