Final State of the Universe

[Airbrush]

I was watching an episode of "Wonders of the Universe", or something like that, on the Science Channel. As I recall Brian described the universe far into the future, in very deep time, after all the stars have burned out as black dwarfs, and even after all black holes have evaporated. In fact, all matter will have evaporated, and all that will remain is something like dead photons. I am not clear on this. What will remain? Do photons die, or lose their energy, so they are dark, and yet they still exist? How can anything have no mass and no energy, and yet exist?

[Klaynos]

If expansion continues I'd assume the photons would redshift to the point of being infitesimally low energies. The heat death of the universe....

[David Levy]

If expansion continues I'd assume the photons would redshift to the point of being infitesimally low energies. The heat death of the universe....

 

 

That is based on the big bang theory.

 

Never the less, based on the Updated Steady State, New mass is generated and keeps the density of the universe constant during the expention.

 

Therefore, no need to worry about the Photons Redshift...

[Klaynos]

That is based on the big bang theory.

 

Never the less, based on the Updated Steady State, New mass is generated and keeps the density of the universe constant during the expention.

 

Therefore, no need to worry about the Photons Redshift...

 

No, there is no discussion of the beginning of the universe, it's once possible extrapolation of what is currently observed.

[hypervalent_iodine]

!

Moderator Note

David Levy,

Please do not use other threads, particularly those within the mainstream science forums, to introduce your own speculations. We have other areas for that, which you are welcome to use.

[michel123456]

If expansion continues I'd assume the photons would redshift to the point of being infitesimally low energies. The heat death of the universe....

what about energy conservation?

[Klaynos]

what about energy conservation?

 

Energy is not conserved between frames. There is also energy that would be required to slow and stop the expansion. The difficulty with this kind of extrapolation/speculation is that not enough is know about the origins of dark energy to state anything with much conviction.

[Airbrush]

what about energy conservation?

 

In this senario, everything will have evaporated into a state of maximum entropy, empty space with low energy photons flying around at the speed of light? So will their energy not be destroyed but rather extremely rarified, to the point of a few photons per cubic Billion light years? What if there is a Big Rip, will the same happen?