2006-07-18 05:54:00 · 3 answers · asked by 2 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Our current universe was born with matter in it, so, no. But there are other theoretical universes that do not need matter in order to exist. The time before our universe was created, for example, does not have to have matter as we know it nor even time as we know it. Time began with the creation of our universe, so the answer to your first question is no. The answer to your second question is yes. Time is measured by how matter behaves. It is possible that if there is no matter, there can still be time, but we would have no way of measuring it.
2006-07-18 05:59:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
At the moment of the big bang, there was no matter in the universe. Just energy.
Shortly after, matter started to condense out of this as matter and anti matter pairs. This process was symmetric. For a reason as not yet understood this symmetry broke, and the universe was left with about 1 extra particle for every 10 billion particle antiparticle pairs. It is these particles of matter that make up the universe you see today.
In fact, astronomical observations show that the total mass of the universe is far from accounted for by the ordinary matter in it. Only about 5% of the universe is matter. The rest is made up of about 65% unknown matter and 30% unknown energy (usually called dark matter and dark energy because they cannot be observed).
This matter and energy cannot be made of any of the things we have found on earth to date - even in particle accelerators - or we would have been able to identify it.
2006-07-18 13:19:21 · answer #2 · answered by Epidavros 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I believe they are. You cant have something from nothing.
2006-07-18 12:57:47 · answer #3 · answered by amosunknown 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋