The Big Bang: Light Before Matter?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of light production in the universe, particularly in the context of matter and antimatter interactions as described in Neil Tyson's book "Origins." It is established that light is not solely produced by electrons changing energy levels; rather, it can also result from the annihilation of matter and antimatter, which generates gamma rays—a high-frequency form of light. This highlights the complexity of light generation in the universe beyond traditional electron behavior.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electromagnetic radiation (EM radiation)
  • Basic knowledge of particle physics, specifically matter and antimatter
  • Familiarity with energy conversion processes in high-energy collisions
  • Concept of gamma rays and their properties
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of electromagnetic radiation and its various forms
  • Study the annihilation process of matter and antimatter
  • Learn about gamma rays and their significance in astrophysics
  • Explore the fundamentals of particle physics and the Standard Model
USEFUL FOR

Anyone interested in astrophysics, particle physics, or the fundamental principles of light production, including students, educators, and science enthusiasts seeking to deepen their understanding of the universe's origins.

taylor__hasty
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So I'm reading this book called "Origins" by Neil Tyson and in the beginning of the book he was talking about matter and antimatter and said "had this matter over antimatter asymmetry not emerged, the expanding universe would forever be composed of light and nothing he else".

Now, I know I'm very ignorant in science (but I'm trying to learn more) but from what I thought, light was caused from electrons changing levels. If no electrons existed yet, how was their light?


(Please excuse my ignorance on the subject :P)

Thanks!
:D
 
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That isn't the only source of light. In this case, the anhillation of matter and anti-matter also produces light.
 
To elaborate, EM radiation, aka Light, is caused by the acceleration of charges, charged particles changing energy levels, annihilation events, and high energy collisions.
 
When matter and antimatter collide, they annihiliate one another, and their energy is converted to gamma rays, which is just a high frequency form of light.
 

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