Question on recreating the Big Bang

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Schreiberdk
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Big bang
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of recreating the Big Bang or conditions similar to those present near the Big Bang, particularly in the context of a fictional device depicted in the science-fiction series Eureka. Participants explore theoretical possibilities and limitations related to energy, particle physics, and experimental setups.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that it is impossible to recreate the Big Bang itself, emphasizing that while conditions shortly after the Big Bang can be simulated, reaching the initial state requires unattainable energy levels.
  • Others propose the idea of recreating conditions near the Big Bang without a particle accelerator, questioning whether a device could be designed to store and release energy in a way that mimics those conditions.
  • One participant critiques the concept of "pure energy," explaining that energy must be understood in terms of its ability to perform work and questioning what form of energy would be stored in the proposed device.
  • A suggestion is made to consider methods similar to those used at the National Ignition Facility, where laser beams heat hydrogen pellets, to achieve temperatures near the Big Bang, although concerns about energy sources and laser capabilities are raised.
  • Another participant expresses uncertainty about how matter would behave under extreme electromagnetic radiation and the implications for density at such high temperatures.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the feasibility of recreating conditions near the Big Bang. While some agree that it is theoretically possible to simulate certain conditions, others maintain that significant limitations exist, particularly regarding energy requirements and the nature of energy itself.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations related to energy definitions, the scale of required experiments, and the current capabilities of existing technology, without resolving these issues.

Schreiberdk
Messages
93
Reaction score
0
Hi there PF

I know this is rather unorthodox, but I have been watching the science-fiction series Eureka for a while now, and in the latest episode I have seen, there was a device, that would recreate the Big Bang itself. The episode I am speaking of is episode 8 in season 2 (link to episode: http://www.watch-eureka-online.com/Watch_Eureka_Online_Season_2_Episode_8_E_mc.html )

Now this device, as it appears in the show, does not in any ways look like a particle accelerator. Rather it looks like a floating energy container, which get charged up by some sort of laser beam. After 24 hours of charging up, the energy container then explodes like the Big Bang itself.

Now my question is, would it be possible to create such an experiment, without a particle accelerator. I know this is coming from science-fiction, but I am just curious and wanted to explore the possibility with the oppinion of experts to back the idea up (or smash it to the ground ;-) ).

\Schreiber
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
It is not possible to recreate the events of the big bang ever. With anything.
We can simulate the conditions of space in the moments after the big bang, but the further back you go the more energy is needed. You could never reach the starting point.
 
Good point. In the episode it was not mentioned if the experiment recreated the Big Bang or just conditions near the Big Bang.

My question would then be: Is it possible to recreate conditions near the Big Bang without a particle accelerator? Perhaps in the way it is being done in the episode, by charging up an energi container, with so much energy, that it could give birth to conditions near the Big Bang?
 
This represents a misunderstanding of energy that is perpetuated by popular media. There is no such thing as "pure energy". Energy is the ability for a system to perform work on another system. If a particle strikes another particle, it is said that it contained Kinetic Energy that was transferred into the other particle upon collision. The more the 1st particle affects the 2nd particle, the more kinetic energy it is said to have. For light energy is in the form of momentum. The more momentum the photon contains, the higher its frequency is. A gamma ray striking an electron will cause a far greater disturbance than would an infrared photon striking that electron.

So the question becomes, what is being stored in the container? Energy in the form of what? I can see if they somehow were able to emit an enormous amount of EM radiation all at once at the energies and densities of right after the big bang, but actual particles themselves would require accelerators. Our current greaterst one, the Large Hadron Collider, is 27 kilometers long and accelerates protons to a speed greater than 99% the speed of light. To get beyond that you would need something similar in size and greater in power. It would not be just a box.
 
What about if you did something similar to what they do at NIF (National Ignition Facility), where a pellet of hydrogen is being heated by laser beams. Could a material be heated to temperatures near the Big Bang (10^19 GeV)? Which would reproduce near Big Bang conditions? The only problem with this design is the energy source for the lasers and a large enough laser system. Right now they can reach 8.6 KeV, but would it in theory be possible to recreate the near Big Bang conditions this way?
 
I suppose that is possible. I'm not sure how the matter would react at EM radiation powerful enough to cause it to reach 10^19 GeV. I wonder what density the compression of a non-negligable amount of matter at that temperature would create...
 
A singularity? :) Like near the Big Bang :)
 
Lol, let's hope not.
 

Similar threads

Graduate "Big Bang" according to the 19th century poet ("Science-v-Poetry")
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Graduate Form of energy at time of big bang
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
High School Is Entropy the Key to Understanding the Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe?
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
6K
Undergrad Shouldn't the Big bang be physically impossible?
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
4K
Graduate An article on Big Bang theory contradictions
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
High School Big Crunch, Big Bang and information loss
  • · Replies 56 ·
2
Replies
56
Views
8K
Undergrad What is the Connection Between Black Holes and the Big Bang?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
High School What fueled the Big Bang explosion?
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
5K
High School Questions regarding energy in the universe
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Undergrad Questions on the consequence of an evolving dark energy parameter
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K