Answer to Question #125694 in Quantum Mechanics for Eirik

Question

How long do quantum fluctuations last for?
Like can they in theory, if a long enough period of time passed isnt it possible for, idk, a baseball to suddenly appear. I just want to know. If in theory quantum fluctuations can create matter from nothing and the matter staying in exsistance. Sorry if this question was worded a bit weird.

Answer 1

In quantum physics, a quantum fluctuation or vacuum fluctuation is the temporary change in the amount of energy in a point in space. This allows the creation of particle-antiparticle pairs of virtual particles. Effects of these particles are measurable, for instance, in the effective charge of the electron, different from its 'naked' charge. Quantum fluctuations may have been necessary in the origin of the structure of the universe. The ones which existed when expansive inflation began were amplified and formed the seed of all current observed structure. Vacuum energy may also be responsible for the present accelerating expansion of the universe.

In this weird age of quantum mechanics, which describes action on a subatomic scale, random fluctuations can produce matter and energy out of nothingness. Quantum mechanical fluctuations can produce the cosmos. If one would just twist time and space the right way, one may create an entirely new universe.

According to one formulation of uncertainty principle, the uncertainty in energy and time can be related by the relation: 

${\displaystyle \Delta E\Delta t\geq {\hbar \over 2}}$

where h/2 ≈ 5,27286 x 10-35

A quantum fluctuation is the temporary appearance of energetic particles out of empty space, as allowed by 'uncertainty principle'. The uncertainty principle states that for a pair of conjugate variables like position/momentum or energy/time, it is not possible to have an accurately determined value of each member of the pair at the same time. For example, a particle pair can pop out of vacuum during a short time interval. Matter can be created from gamma photons in pair production. Gamma photons are not quantum fluctuations.

Wave nature of matter is not doubted but vacuum fluctuations are absolutely not like hard gamma rays from which one can create matter.

Relatively speaking, there is that which is 'nothing' and there is that which is 'something'. In relativity and to validate concept of causality, there must be the existence of that which in one way or the other affects an observed event so that empirically measurable values of the event are detected as to change. Whatever change is detected , there must be an observed quantity of that which has the quality of causing that particular change. If anything at all happens, one must relate this happening to an actor of a known action. The question in empirical investigation is then to establish a causal link between observed effect and what caused it. Truth of a suggested causal relation is based on regularity and predictive value. Thus, from a relative and scientific perspective, since there exists something which is empirically real and observed as to be in constant flux, there must also be that which caused it to be so. Relativity can map cosmological evolution back to the electroweak epoch but no further than that. Unification implies a situation where relativity is not 'all' there is. There may also be a quality of absolute-ness and discrete-ness.

Absolutely speaking, there are no 'fluctuations' in a moment of singularity. If it fluctuates, it is a single fluctuation. If not, one is assuming a scenario of many initial states, not a single initial state. So, the concept of 'nothing' as opposed to 'something' is nonsensical unless we agree upon what is required for quality of detection. Here, one can ask; what is it with a hypothetical quantum/unit which makes it real in empirical sense? Could there be a unit S which is true in the ontological sense of being 'S', but also being empirically unobservable and in that sense: 'unreal'? Could there be that which only can be analyzed based on an imaginary value and that evolves in such a way as to translate 'imaginary' base value into an increasingly 'real' value? This is important to contemplate, as is done in mathematics' complex analysis because in absolute terms, there is no possible relation of nothing versus something for the simple reason of 'nothing' being absolutely impossible. It defies reason and logic to assume that there is existence of that which is defined as non-existent. This is to say that existence includes non-existence and one creates conceptual uncertainty 'out of nothing'.

Does the 'quality' of fluctuating cause effect of 'quantity' being of variable empirical value? To phrase this question thus is an effort to stress importance of quality in the analysis of any quantity. Quantum theory might lack a definite sense of quality. A quantum of reality is a statement of ontology. It is to say: there 'is' that which is, and one can assign this fact a nominal value e.g. Unity, One, Singularity, initial state, God, i2, etc. A nominal value can be true while not being of any empirically observable and hence analytical value. The imaginary part of complex analysis is related to rotation. Rotation/spin is not related to quantum actor but to its 'quality' of action. It is a quantum of quality and that 'quality' is acting as rotation.

The action of rotation can cause the effect of translating a quantum of this action as to project angular eccentricity perpendicular to bi-directional compression of its rotational axis. By this, it is not unreasonable to assume that quality of quantum will generate emergence of empirically real values from a base value of a sphere/ball with imaginary axis equal to the diameter (symmetric). Nothingness of the base symmetry is then of empirical values and not ontological. With flattening of the quantum, empirical values of space/eccentricity will increase in magnitude all the way to full transformation in the moment of 2D surface. The discrete value, now an empirical value, may then be opposite of initial and imaginary value '1'. Axis turned out to be horizontal by rotation, would be imaginary 0 = real 1. Then, one has turned eternity of 'zero space' into a neverland of 'infinity'. Eternity is nowhere and infinity is never. All the 'real' empirical values are likely to be observed as continuously fluctuating between two extreme discrete values, assumed here to be possible only in case of 'singular' action. The fundamental and thus the unconditioned force of rotation caused a singular and uniform compression and eccentricity of an initial quantum, equal to an initial quality whereby, kinetic and potential energy were equal and uniform and not the cause of change in the singular case. Cause is the force of rotation. Effect is that eccentricity is compressed as compression is eccentric. Moreover, empirical value to be observed requires a real observer which is, at the moment of observation, of values not the same as the values to be observed. This makes singularity unobservable, even if it is of empirical value, except for when being in the moment of perfect 3D symmetry. It is void of any values but imaginary/axial 'time'. Gravitation also requires a real observer. A singular body can implode vertically as it explodes horizontally but cannot attract anybody except itself. When it does, it also rejects itself. Hence, gravity is not a fundamental cause but a relative effect in many contexts. For instance, dual space generates values of electromagnetism. Assumed to be liquid-like, values of quanta will relocate as it is forced to flow in vortex-like nodes acting as 'well' or 'drain'.

Entire observable cosmos emerged from a pre-created state which is devoid of the familiar aspects of reality: space, time, energy and matter. Boundary between this 'something' all around us and that 'nothing' that is also present but undetectable is important to study. Collapse of massive stars takes us to the edge of greatest mystery in creation: how something came out of nothing and returns to nothing when its life cycle is over.

In short, it turns out that the collapse of a massive star gives rise to either a black hole or naked singularity, depending on internal conditions within the star, like its densities and pressure profiles and velocities of collapsing shells. When a naked singularity occurs, small inhomogeneities like lumpiness in matter densities close to singularity could spread out and magnify enormously to create high-energy shock waves. These, in turn, have connections to severe high-energy astrophysical phenomena like cosmic gamma ray bursts.

Quantum fluctuations are facts. 'Out of nothing' is not a fact. Flux is a technical term for flow, a sub-concept of fluctuation. When propagations are subjected to density variations, they can form virtual particles, interact and evolve into more advanced matter. Much of the matter is created in mass quantities together in processes like a black hole-galaxy process. This process is filled with things even if those things are at one point just light propagations coming into focus. Something (Propagating energy) actually exists and is being fluctuated to create something else (matter).

Most famous theory since the forties is Big Bang theory, which states that universe was a singular point with infinite density, very high temperature and high pressure. At this point, the high negative gravity caused the big bang. So, time and space began and universe started expanding. After observing the phenomenon, it was found that universe is isotropic and homogeneous. Inflation theory, proposed in 1980, states that after 10^-32 seconds, the universe exponentially expanded approximately 10²⁶ times. Quantum fluctuations created galaxies, stars and planets. Therefore, quantum fluctuations have nothing to do with how the universe was created. Matter of the universe was created due to quantum vacuum energy.