Which comes first matter or energy?

In summary: The conversation at lunch revolved around the question of whether energy or matter came first in the earliest times of the universe. There were different opinions, with one person mentioning the Big Bang Theory's idea of a pointlike thing with infinite mass/density and another pointing out that this idea may not be grounded in reality. The conversation ended with a discussion about how energy and matter are interconnected and the concept of photons as particles of energy. Overall, it seems that the origins of the universe and the relationship between energy and matter are still a topic of debate and research.
  • #1
Reogl
25
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Hey there guys, i had an argument with my office mate during a lunch about "Which comes first -the energy or matter?" Maybe it pop out because I am having crab omelet (egg) while he has (chicken) salad.. but anyway it was unsettled and i would appreciate any help. I am sure he is on net searching as i write this, but i think i have advantage using the forum. Thanks
 
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  • #2
In the earliest times of the universe, all was energy. Matter came later.
 
  • #3
Yeah! as i thought.. but what about this they saying in BBT ; "a pointlike thing with infinite mass/density?"
 
  • #4
Reogl said:
Yeah! as i thought.. but what about this they saying in BBT ; "a pointlike thing with infinite mass/density?"

Sounds like television physics to me, disconnected from reality.
 
  • #5
Right..Youtube as i recall it. Thanks!

..By the way, How can i describe "all was energy" ? what kind of energy? Momentum? Heat? Photon?
 
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  • #6
Reogl said:
Right..Youtube as i recall it. Thanks!

..By the way, How can i describe "all was energy" ? what kind of energy? Momentum? Heat? Photon?


If you say all was energy? than you have to mean the only form of energy that we don't define as matter and that is light... I don't know if this guy has some sources on this. But it is generally not known how the universe was at the very beginning because relativity+quantum mechanics=unknown. Both theories don't work with each other and both describe the same universe... therefore they are both incorrect, so... we don't really know in what form energy was at the complete beginning, but shortly after it was probably mostly light but how it turned into matter I am not sure on, there are some specialists that can probably tell you what is going on there.
 
  • #7
Energy is always a property of something. There's no such thing as "pure energy", unless you don't consider photons to be "something."
 
  • #8
I mis-spoke. I should have said RADIATION, not energy. There WAS matter, it just wasn't clumpled into anything (like atoms or molecules) and was just elementary particles moving at unbelievable speeds. Weinberg estimates that the "temperature" at 1/100th of a second after the singularity was 10E11 degrees and the universe was fillled with electrons, positrons, neutrinos, and photons (I may have left some out).

It's because there are no atoms that I always think of the early universe as devoid of matter, but that clearly is not quite the right way to think about it.
 
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  • #9
jtbell said:
Energy is always a property of something. There's no such thing as "pure energy", unless you don't consider photons to be "something."
So you say they came at the same time?
 
  • #10
Hi.
Every matter has energy as its property. Not all energy have matter property.
Regards.
 
  • #11
Einstein said photon is particle of energy..and 2 photons collision creates mass particle + anti-mass particle...so far Energy of Light wins 5-0 or with a draw
 
  • #12
Reogl said:
Einstein said photon is particle of energy..and 2 photons collision creates mass particle + anti-mass particle...so far Energy of Light wins 5-0 or with a draw

Haha so we can say...

"in the beginning, there was light."
 
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Likes Samson4

1. What is the relationship between matter and energy?

Matter and energy are closely related and can be converted into one another. Matter is made up of atoms and molecules, which contain energy in the form of particles and potential energy. Energy is the ability to do work and can exist in various forms such as heat, light, and motion.

2. Which comes first, matter or energy?

This is a difficult question to answer definitively, as matter and energy are both essential components of the universe and cannot exist without each other. Some scientists believe that energy may have preceded matter during the Big Bang, while others argue that matter and energy have always existed alongside each other.

3. How are matter and energy created?

Matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed, but they can be transformed into different forms. According to the law of conservation of energy, energy can be converted from one form to another, such as chemical energy to heat energy. Similarly, matter can undergo physical and chemical changes, but the total amount of matter in a closed system remains constant.

4. Can matter be converted into energy?

Yes, matter can be converted into energy through the process of nuclear fusion or fission. This is how stars produce energy, and it is also the basis of nuclear power plants. Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2, explains the relationship between matter and energy and how they can be converted into each other.

5. Which is more important, matter or energy?

Both matter and energy are equally important and are necessary for the functioning of the universe. Without matter, there would be no physical objects, and without energy, there would be no movement or change. They are both fundamental components of the universe and cannot exist without each other.

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