Vacuum fluctuations ?

I've heard of weird effects like Quantum foam, and Quantum fluctuations. I just want to ask, why does a vacuum fluctuate ? why are quasiparticles created ?
Does something make a vacuum fluctuate ?

Going back to The Elegant Universe, by PBS...

www.pbs.org...

... look at the first picture under HOUR 2.

That picture is a way of looking at quantum fluxuations. They tend to be chaotic in nature, but even chaos can have patterns. Watch the special or buy it from Amazon if you don't have time to stream-download the whole thing.

Yes the picture shows the nature of the fluctuations. They are chaotic. But what I want to know is why they occur in the first place ? Why is a vacuum so chaotic, why does'nt it just remain 'smooth' ?

Haha thanks protector!!! I've now ended up sitting here for 3 hours watching those videos!!! They are quite interesting, and a little bit mind blowing.

Just wondering if this has anything to do with it, but: I heard that the universe could randomly create particles randomly and t hen make them disappear instantly, 'as the universe turns its back.'

Can fluctuations in a vacuum be due to the amount of energy just randomly travelling around the universe all the time?

I think the fluctuations may be due to dark energy that occupies all of space.

think the fluctuations may be due to dark energy that occupies all of space.

Strange you might say that, because dark energy is a homogeneouse (constant) energy.

Also, almost no movement in space is truely random- whether it be mass or energy.

My advice? You should look into the M-Theory.

I believe the question is answered by the fact that on an absolutely tiny scale, the certainty that space is empty is matched by the uncertainty of the Heisenberg Uncertanty Principle. IOW, it happens because it can and is not "caused" by anything. There is no net gain or net loss of energy in the process.

Harte

[edit on 6/1/2006 by Harte]

Originally posted by siddharthsma
I've heard of weird effects like Quantum foam, and Quantum fluctuations. I just want to ask, why does a vacuum fluctuate?

The vacuum is not so much a real thing, but rather the "potential" for something real to exist.

Why are quasiparticles created ?
Does something make a vacuum fluctuate?

Consciousness.

Originally posted by siddharthsma
Yes the picture shows the nature of the fluctuations. They are chaotic. But what I want to know is why they occur in the first place ? Why is a vacuum so chaotic, why does'nt it just remain 'smooth' ?

I guess the short answer would be the release of energy from the BIG BANG. Another guess could be that energy beings on a level below it and the fluxuations are a result (cause and effect). Yet another could be that blackholes have damaged the fabric of spacetime (along with a number of other astrological phenomena). What else??? Perhaps it is just noise in instrumentation (but I doubt it).

I guess your guess is as good as mine... or it could be a number of factors combined (and probably is).

Also, if it were 'smooth' all of life would probably stop.. as would motion and kinetic energy and all that good stuff. I don't know that for a fact. If you mean 'smooth' as in 'not moving', then the fabric of space doesn't reflect the movement of energy, which seems obserd. If you mean 'smooth' as in 'not so bumpy', then just try to slow down your image of the whole process and you'll probably see that the energy fluxuations are smooth at slower rates, but terribly difficult if not impossible to predict.

Originally posted by Shakeyjc
Haha thanks protector!!! I've now ended up sitting here for 3 hours watching those videos!!! They are quite interesting, and a little bit mind blowing.

Just wondering if this has anything to do with it, but: I heard that the universe could randomly create particles randomly and t hen make them disappear instantly, 'as the universe turns its back.'

Can fluctuations in a vacuum be due to the amount of energy just randomly travelling around the universe all the time?

The videos are well worth it. I believe everyone above a grade school education should have to see them... it really opens up a whole new world... like watching The Matrix.

The universe does 'randomly', or we assume randomly, creates particles and the paired antiparticle. However, when these are created, they are typically right next to one another. Therefore, unless they are affected by varying gravitation sources, the two particles collide and destroy each other again, releasing 'all' or 'most' of the energy required to create the particles. I believe I can find a link for ya.

particleadventure.org...

That isn't the best example, but basically particles with mass annihilate into corresponding packets of energy (force carrier particles, or leptons).