As far as I understand energy and matter are two sides of the same coin, and I thought I knew that energy/matter could not be created or destroyed, but then a comment I read on askphysics implied that’s not true. (Something about an electron emitting photons, idk it was not targeted at a 5 year old).
So is there a set amount of energy/matter in the universe since the Big Bang, or can it be created/destroyed?
And bonus question that’s only slightly related, when an atom is broken up into quirks, will the quirks reform into an atom?
In: Physics
Conservation of energy only applies in a closed system, and it does not seem like the universe is a closed system. In other words yes, it does seem like more energy is entering into the universe over time.
As for your question about quarks it doesn’t really make any sense. The subatomic particles of protons and neutrons that are made up of quarks (not electrons, they seem to be fundamental) but when you try to break them apart the energy to do so creates more quarks. So you don’t really get lone quarks at all.
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