Expert: Jayendra Upadhye - 11/12/2008

Question
I witnessed to someone recently about God, and he opts to believe in
eternal matter. He claims that since the 1st Law of Thermodynamics
prevents the creation of matter, it must have always existed.

What problems exist with one believing in eternal matter? I would
appreciate a very thorough response. I believe the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics
and the Law of Causality would prevent eternal matter from ever
becoming anything, but I'd like your input.

A side question I have is, don't scientists believe the big bang
created time, space, and matter? So I'm a little confused here. Perhaps this
person thinks the big bang singularity is eternal, but I thought that
was energy, not matter.


Answer
Hi John,
The two of you are having a commendable debate!
I will add my tuppence worth..

The singularity that existed at the time of the bang, during the inflationary stage, existed at an epoch when the universe as an exception, DID NOT obey the laws as we know them.

But that was for a very short duration.

Ever since that event played itself out, the laws of thermodynamics hold sway.

Except in the hearts of black holes, where again the universal laws all break down, and we do not know what laws hold sway there.

Secondly, the bang was so hot, that it was all energy for quite some time. Only some thousand years later, did the universe cool enough to allow matter and energy to decouple.

And that new matter was all hydrogen and nothing else!
It is debated that some % of other elements may have been created at the time of the bang, bur the relative abundance of the elements in the universe suggest that may not be so.

The higher elements of the periodic table are the result of all the supernovas since the bang.

regards
Jayen