Please first give a reference that shows the context in which you encountered the term. I could guess what I think the context is, but you should not be forcing people to guess.KurtLudwig said:TL;DR Summary: Please explain what a false vacuum is.
This is a pop science book. You would be better served by reading actual textbooks or peer-reviewed papers.KurtLudwig said:a book by professor Katie Mack "The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)
Did you come across this page:KurtLudwig said:I did look up on Wikipedia
No.KurtLudwig said:Is False Vacuum a chamber evacuated with almost no molecules of gases?
Yes. It occurs in two main contexts: first, inflation theory (in which the universe during inflation is in a false vacuum state), and second, speculative hypotheses about what might happen to our present universe in the future (involving the speculation that our current universe is in a "false vacuum" state).KurtLudwig said:Is it a concept in quantum physics?
All of these questions really should be answered by looking at a specific example. I would recommend reading papers about inflation theory first.KurtLudwig said:Why is an there energy level difference between a false and true vacuum? How do physicists know how the field value changes? I read somewhere that space is never totally empty do to quantum fluctuations. Why would the laws of the Universe change if it did happen?
Not just the Wikipedia article itself but the references, at least some of which are actual peer-reviewed papers.KurtLudwig said:I will go back to Wikipedia to read False vacuum decay.
It is an I-level tag thread, I think reading the actual papers is beyond what an undergrad can cope.PeterDonis said:Not just the Wikipedia article itself but the references, at least some of which are actual peer-reviewed papers.
The subject itself is more suitable to an "A" level discussion. Looking at the actual papers will at least give the OP a start towards that level of understanding, if desired.malawi_glenn said:It is an I-level tag thread, I think reading the actual papers is beyond what an undergrad can cope.
Moderator's note: The subthread on this topic might get spun off into a separate thread.PeterDonis said:the general topic of why PF's policy regarding pop science sources is what it is
And now it has:PeterDonis said:Moderator's note: The subthread on this topic might get spun off into a separate thread.
A false vacuum is a metastable state that appears stable but is not the lowest energy state of a field. In quantum field theory, it represents a local minimum of potential energy, which is higher than the true vacuum (the global minimum). Although it can persist for a long time, it is theoretically possible for it to transition to the true vacuum state.
A true vacuum represents the state of lowest possible energy in a field, whereas a false vacuum is a local minimum that is not the absolute lowest energy state. The true vacuum is completely stable, while the false vacuum is only metastable and can decay to the true vacuum through a process called quantum tunneling.
The properties of a false vacuum include being in a metastable state with higher energy than the true vacuum. It can appear stable over long periods, but it is susceptible to decay. This decay can cause a phase transition, releasing energy and potentially altering the fundamental properties of the universe.
The energy difference between a false vacuum and a true vacuum is the amount of potential energy that separates the local minimum (false vacuum) from the global minimum (true vacuum). This energy difference is crucial as it determines the likelihood and consequences of the false vacuum decaying into the true vacuum.
The decay of a false vacuum to a true vacuum could have catastrophic implications, potentially altering the laws of physics and the structure of the universe. This process would release a tremendous amount of energy, possibly resulting in a bubble of true vacuum expanding at the speed of light, fundamentally changing everything it encounters.