If man created a small universe, could he THEORETICALLY predict the course of the contents of this universe?

Question

If man created a new universe with all the same laws as the current one but consisting of only a thousand particles/limited amount of energy, could it THEORETICALLY be possible to predict the course and behaviour of every particle in that universe?

This universe would exist as an entirely seperate entity; there would be no external input or output into it. The energy and particles would also be injected into this universe by man so that man knew the position, energy and direction (every aspect that would determine the course) of everything inside the universe.

ALSO we would assume that man, in this situation, would be at the very upper limits of possible technological and scientific ability to the point where he has conquered the subatomic measurement problems that the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and observer effect present.

Detailed answers from people with a physics background would be especially be welcomed as this is part of a deeper, complex idea I am exploring.

Answer 1

Every particel Impossible. For instance froget about the universe. Just talk about you. You are made of zillions of particles. No way to predict behaviur of each particles of your bidy.

Answer 2

Theoretically, yes. If there is a limited amount of mass/energy (and assuming the physical laws of this Universe obey the same ones as ours) a few thousand particles is just more billiard balls on a larger than standard table. The complexity comes when there are enough particals and energy for living organisms. Then the variety of what happens cannot be predicted nor can the rate of changes. Even if man were to "intervene" in this Universe, they could not accurately predict every outcome of the intervention. Such things are left to God.

Man has enclosed particles isolated from influence other than those man sees fit to impose. Those are predictable. If you choose to call the universes, so be it. Man has also created limited numer of particles not previously found in nature, and determined many aspects of their nature. If you wish to call this creation, that is up to you. God created the conditions under which we live, think, love, strive, and suffer. His reasons are his own. If you ask, can we ever reach His level, NO.

Have to disagree with a previous responder. We do know a lot about how untold millions of particals will interact in an enclosed environment. PV=nRT is the ideal gas law and predicts very well how gas particles will behave under certain conditions of Pressure, Temperature and Volume. Considering Avagadros number is 6.02 x 10 to the twenty third atoms per mole. A universe of roughly 22 liters would certainly exceed the requirements of a few thousand particles and limited energy. It can, and has been predicted, by others including myself.

The only thing he can't know and control is the movement of subatomic particles. There is no known way of observing them to know what is happening without affecting some fundemenal change in them. Statistical probability is used when answering question in the subatomic realm.

Answer 3

What you are saying is pretty much what Newton said he could do. If you keep the system simple, yes, you can predict the orbits and movements of all the objects in the system. This presupposes no outside forces or free will or anything coming along to screw up the perfect orbits etc.

After rereading your hypothesis, it appears that you want to predict the position and travel of the subatomic particles, as well. Now, we have a problem. This goes outside the bounds of the Newtonian model. Now, there are things that can behave in some pretty arbitrary and unpredictable ways. Currently, there is no prediction for subatomic decay. Who knows which one of those atoms of Carbon 14 over there are going to decay down to Carbon 12 in the next 100 years. Some of them are.

So, your perfectly mechanistic universe is still unpredictable at the atomic level.

Answer 4

Sorry to be over-simplistic - but "small universe"? Aren't you kind of contradicting yourself?

Looking past that you have a finite number of observations calculations, extrapolations and predictions to make. If you have the power to manipulate and get meaningful results from the observed data in a realistic period of time then yes it would be possible.

There is a vast vast gap between your controlled universe and the real one though. The points you assume man would conquer are major.

Sorry don't mean to put you off.

Answer 5

No, I have several qualms here they are:

1) He couldn't be human, he would have to devide his conscience into trillions of billions of parts just to see what each of the particles are doing

2) He would have to know a heck of alot more then we do about particles, WE CANT EVEN SEE THEM! We dont know how each will act, we have no way of knowing where each electron will be at a certian place and time

3) Dont bother thinking about this let me tell you the order of things

a. First start trying to find the reason of life (like thats gonna happen)

b. Then find "god" if there is one

c. then figure out this problem



So in conclusion, GET A LIFE!

Answer 6

nicely, in case you never injected any new debris or potential into your universe you will desire to are anticipating it fairly is end state: completely randomly dispensed entropic chilly chaos in accordance to the 2d regulation of thermodynamics, although, you will desire to not are anticipating lots of something alongside the way from the start to the tip, simply by Heisenberg's uncertainty concept and quantum effects. additionally, from chaos thought, it fairly is fairly ordinary to coach that even quite hassle-free structures can generate extraordinarily diverse anbd complicated habit after purely some steps in time per tiny transformations in preliminary circumstances.