Is a Universe with Just One Point Charge Physically Meaningful?

[Altair Tans]

What if there is a universe with just one point charge in existence....just a charge with vast emptiness around it....now here all laws of physics remain same...

But is the concept of field and energy defined there??

 

[Dale]

What if there is a universe with just one point charge in existence....just a charge with vast emptiness around it

Who cares about such a universe? It isn’t this one and we don’t have access to it to test any claims about it. Any statements you might make about it are not scientific.

now here all laws of physics remain same...

But is the concept of field and energy defined there?

If all laws of physics are the same then clearly fields and energy are defined.

By the way, the excessive use of periods is obnoxious. If your keyboard is sticky then clean it, otherwise just stop.

 

[Jayalk97]

What if there is a universe with just one point charge in existence....just a charge with vast emptiness around it....now here all laws of physics remain same...

But is the concept of field and energy defined there??

Hi, there are actually plenty of problems I had to do regarding this in my electromagnetism class. If you look at calculations involving Gaussian surfaces as well as coulomb'a law it should answer your question.

 

[greypilgrim]

If all laws of physics are the same then clearly fields and energy are defined.

Aren't fields defined in terms of forces acting on a test charge, and how is that possible if there are no other charges?

 

[Dale]

Aren't fields defined in terms of forces acting on a test charge, and how is that possible if there are no other charges?

In vacuum there are no charges, but there are fields. Your definition is a little wrong.

 

[Altair Tans]

In vacuum there are no charges, but there are fields. Your definition is a little wrong.

What are fields there for then?

 

[Altair Tans]

What are fields there for then?

I am speaking in the sense that like if there's just one object in an empty universe its motion is not defined. Its moving or at rest is not defined as long as there's no frame to refer with.
Similarly i believe without something to act upon the concept of force , field of force and energy associated with the force are all invalid.

Am i wrong somewhere?

 

[Dale]

What are fields there for then?

What do you think? What things are associated with the fields that might cause problems if they didn’t exist in vacuum?

I am speaking in the sense that like if there's just one object in an empty universe its motion is not defined. Its moving or at rest is not defined as long as there's no frame to refer with.
Similarly i believe without something to act upon the concept of force , field of force and energy associated with the force are all invalid.

Am i wrong somewhere?

You stipulated a one-charge universe where all laws of physics remain the same as ours. There is a charge so by Gauss’ law there is a field

 

[Altair Tans]

Ok so there is a field, there is energy associated with it, but these quantities don't get a chance to be in use.

Is my understanding correct sir?

 

[Dale]

Ok so there is a field, there is energy associated with it, but these quantities don't get a chance to be in use.

Is my understanding correct sir?

How can we possibly know if your understanding of single charge universes is correct? I have no evidence to contradict your claims and you have no evidence to support them. There is no possibility to use the scientific method to answer such questions.

 

[jbriggs444]

How can we possibly know if your understanding of single charge universes is correct? I have no evidence to contradict your claims and you have no evidence to support them. There is no possibility to use the scientific method to answer such questions.

As @Dale says. This is a "tree falls in the forest" situation. Does it make a sound? It doesn't matter. Pick whichever answer yields a simpler theory.