Thread: Creation

Please note: Just being curious.

Doesn't the law of conservation of mass state that mass will remain constant/matter cannot be created or destroyed? If so, how did the universe/multiverse begin?

Scenario: Say that the universe/multiverse has existed since eternity, then what decided the natural order of things? For example, if the universe/multiverse has existed since existence, what causes phenomenon such as force? Why did things just "happen" that way?

Thanks.[/i]

Well, strictly speaking, you should say conservation of mass-energy. Matter can be created and destroyed.

As for the rest of it though, doesn't really feel like physics to me, more like philosophy. No matter how much we know, you could always say, 'but why is it like that?'. I don't think we could ever truly know everything. Who knows though. maybe.

I guess part of it is philosophical, but part of it is physics (or perhaps science in general).

For instance, my question of "What causes phenomenon such as force?", I think, can be explained or is trying to be explained by physicists.

Quite honestly, you could always say 'but why is it like that?'. But, that is for the philosophers and not the physicists. Physics answers "how" and philosophers try to answer "why", generally speaking.

Originally Posted by Zhalfirin88

Please note: Just being curious.

Doesn't the law of conservation of mass state that mass will remain constant/matter cannot be created or destroyed? If so, how did the universe/multiverse begin?

Scenario: Say that the universe/multiverse has existed since eternity, then what decided the natural order of things? For example, if the universe/multiverse has existed since existence, what causes phenomenon such as force? Why did things just "happen" that way?

Thanks.[/i]

Conservation of mass/energy only applies to the universe as it exists. It does not apply to the creation, since, in accordance with general relativity and the Big Bang, there is no "before" the universe came into existence.

You might also want to be aware that within the context of general relativity there is a bit of a problem with both the "law" of conservation of energy and with a useable definition of energy itself.