Total mass-energy v nature of forces, particles

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the relationship between the total mass-energy of the universe and the characteristics of forces and force-carrier particles as described by the standard model. It is noted that while changes in coupling strength or boson masses could alter energy distribution and expansion history, there is no known causal connection suggesting that different total mass-energy would directly change the nature of forces. The conversation also touches on the speculative concept of "vacuum genesis," which is not part of the standard cosmological model, and how it could hypothetically affect constants and laws governing particles. A simpler explanation for the universe's expansion, known as the LambdaCDM model, is proposed, suggesting a bounce from a contracting phase rather than complex speculative scenarios. Overall, the thread emphasizes the need for caution when venturing into philosophical interpretations of physical theories.
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What does the standard model have to say about the relationship between the total mass-energy of the universe and the characteristics of forces and force-carrier particles?

That is, if the total mass-energy were different, would the nature, strength, … of the forces and force-carrier particles be different?

Alternatively, would the nature of forces and particles be different at this point in time if the total mass-energy density of the universe were different at this point in time?

Thx
 
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Which standard model, cosmology or particle physics?
tempus said:
That is, if the total mass-energy were different, would the nature, strength, … of the forces and force-carrier particles be different?
There is no known causal connection in this direction.
The opposite direction is true: different coupling strength or boson masses would have lead to a different distribution of the energy, which then leads to a different total energy density due to the expansion of space (it also leads to a different expansion history).
 
Thank you, mfb.

Standard model of both as a baseline.

In broader terms, I'm interested in insights from a physics / physicalist / materialist perspective (cosmology, particle physics) into the philosophical question of the one and the many, and how the character of particles are related (causally or in a more general sense of relation) to the character of the whole.

Any further insights would be appreciated.
 
We tend not to wander into philosophy of science, it is usually becomes polarizing and counterproductive.
 
I should have followed up more directly on mfb's helpful response.

Iiuc, vacuum genesis (zero-point universe) is not part of the standard model of cosmology. But under that theory, the nature of the quantum fluctuation generating the universe would affect the nature of the constants, laws and, therefore, nature of particles. Correct?
 
"Vacuum genesis" is soooooo speculative, Tempus! You get immediately into a philosophical wonderland. There must be dozens of different scenarios or ways people imagine "vacuum genesis", some producing entirely different constants, if that interests you.

Here's a simpler explanation for the start of our universe' expansion, where we get exactly these constants and laws that we see.

Also we get the observable homogeneity and CMB fluctuations, and we don't even need an "inflaton" field---a popular but problematical bit of exotica.

Just google: "LambdaCDM bounce" and look at the paper by Edward Wilson-Ewing and Yi-fu Cai with approximately that title. LambdaCDM is the technical term, as you probably know, for the standard cosmic model.

the LamdaCDM universe we see around us could (most simply) have started expanding with a bounce--- from the same universe in a contracting phase, with the same laws.

No philosophy, no drama. Make up more complex stories at your own risk, but at least check out the simplest scenario. It came out in December 2014, as I recall.

Ed Wilson-Ewing was the winner of this year's Bronstein Prize, partly in recognition for this work.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombination_(cosmology) Was a matter density right after the decoupling low enough to consider the vacuum as the actual vacuum, and not the medium through which the light propagates with the speed lower than ##({\epsilon_0\mu_0})^{-1/2}##? I'm asking this in context of the calculation of the observable universe radius, where the time integral of the inverse of the scale factor is multiplied by the constant speed of light ##c##.
The formal paper is here. The Rutgers University news has published a story about an image being closely examined at their New Brunswick campus. Here is an excerpt: Computer modeling of the gravitational lens by Keeton and Eid showed that the four visible foreground galaxies causing the gravitational bending couldn’t explain the details of the five-image pattern. Only with the addition of a large, invisible mass, in this case, a dark matter halo, could the model match the observations...
Hi, I’m pretty new to cosmology and I’m trying to get my head around the Big Bang and the potential infinite extent of the universe as a whole. There’s lots of misleading info out there but this forum and a few others have helped me and I just wanted to check I have the right idea. The Big Bang was the creation of space and time. At this instant t=0 space was infinite in size but the scale factor was zero. I’m picturing it (hopefully correctly) like an excel spreadsheet with infinite...
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