Implications of the divisibility of time for the study of the big bang

In summary, the infinite divisibility of time presents a paradox in studying the big bang, as it may never be possible to reach the exact moment of its beginning. Additionally, without a unified theory of quantum gravity, our understanding of the big bang is limited to certain epochs and the physics during these times is still uncertain.
  • #1
Toppy123
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Does the fact that time is infinitely divisible have implications for studying the big bang?

As with all studies of historic events, we are looking at the big bang from a backwards perspective. So, if we look at the first second of the start of our universe in the big bang model, we try to chip away backwards from 1 second in order to get to the beginning, eg half a second from the big bang, 0.1 seconds from the big bang, 1 millionth of a second from the big bang, etc. However, if time is infinitely divisible, can we ever get to 0 (the start) or are we destined to chip away without getting to the beginning?

Does this attribute of time (its infinite divisibility) mean that there is a paradox - there can be a start but that the start is infinitely far away (in time) that we can never actually study the moment itself?
 
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  • #2
Yes. If time were quantized, the quantization of time would definitely show up in the study of the big bang. Because the big bang is a singularity, any quantization of space time or quantization of gravity would show up there, where there is classically an infinite energy density.

Without a unified theory of quantum gravity (perhaps a theory of everything), we are not allowed to go any closer to the big bang than the Planck time (~10^-44 s). There are several other epochs after that that we don't currently know much about (e.g. the grand unified epoch, the electoweak separation epoch). Right now we are only able to know about as far back as maybe the inflationary epoch (~10^-32 s) or so, and even then the physics is a little shaky.

Less speculative would be way later, after inflation has ended, perhaps during the quark epoch or the hadron epoch (~10^-12s or ~10^-6s) respectively.
 

FAQ: Implications of the divisibility of time for the study of the big bang

1. What is the divisibility of time and how does it relate to the study of the big bang?

The divisibility of time refers to the concept that time can be divided into infinitely small intervals. In the study of the big bang, this concept is important because it allows us to better understand the timeline of events and the specific moments when significant changes occurred.

2. How does the divisibility of time impact our understanding of the origin of the universe?

The divisibility of time allows us to break down the timeline of the big bang into smaller intervals, which helps us to better understand the processes that occurred during the early stages of the universe's formation. This, in turn, contributes to our overall understanding of the origin of the universe.

3. Can the divisibility of time be observed or measured?

While we cannot directly observe or measure infinitely small intervals of time, we can use mathematical equations and theories to make predictions and calculations about the divisibility of time. These predictions and calculations have been supported by various experiments and observations in the field of astrophysics.

4. How does the divisibility of time impact the accuracy of our theories about the big bang?

The divisibility of time allows us to refine and improve our theories about the big bang by providing a more detailed understanding of the timeline and processes involved. However, it also presents challenges in terms of accurately measuring and predicting events that occurred in the early stages of the universe's formation.

5. Are there any implications of the divisibility of time that are still not fully understood?

While the concept of the divisibility of time is widely accepted in the scientific community, there are still some aspects of its implications for the study of the big bang that are not fully understood. These include the nature of time at the very beginning of the universe and how it may have been affected by quantum effects.

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