What will happen to all matter in the end?

[Kizzi]

I know some elements are radioactive, but I was wondering that in the distant, distant future, long, long after the stars have gone, will all matter eventually decay into nothing so that finally there will be nothing left in the universe (providing future scientists don't interfere)?

Or will there always be stable atoms left in the universe, because they can't decay any further (as long as the black holes don't swallow them)?

Kizzi

[karlfreak]

does it really mnatter

well u think it would continue to exist to it was destoyed or decayed but thats just me

or phraps it will turn it a gaint mud pit ( )

[infamous]

Originally Posted by karlfreak

does it really mnatter

well u think it would continue to exist to it was destoyed or decayed but thats just me

or phraps it will turn it a gaint mud pit ( )

Could someone please define the word pathetic for karl.

[karlfreak]

Originally Posted by infamous

Could someone please define the word pathetic for karl.

[SIZE=5]pathetic[/SIZE]=exciying pity or sadness or contempt

i know what it means

but hey that's what i think will happen to matter in the end u !@#%*#

[Erasmus00]

Originally Posted by Kizzi

I know some elements are radioactive, but I was wondering that in the distant, distant future, long, long after the stars have gone, will all matter eventually decay into nothing so that finally there will be nothing left in the universe (providing future scientists don't interfere)?

Or will there always be stable atoms left in the universe, because they can't decay any further (as long as the black holes don't swallow them)?

Kizzi

I imagine that what will happen is that matter will undergo various state changes untill it settles down into its ground state (lowest energy form). I think it would be a lump of some form of iron (I think iron has the lowest binding per nucleon? I may be wrong).
-Will

[niviene]

Originally Posted by Kizzi

I know some elements are radioactive, but I was wondering that in the distant, distant future, long, long after the stars have gone, will all matter eventually decay into nothing so that finally there will be nothing left in the universe (providing future scientists don't interfere)?

Or will there always be stable atoms left in the universe, because they can't decay any further (as long as the black holes don't swallow them)?

Kizzi

Why is it that you think all the stars will be gone? It seems that they are born and die almost like living beings. Matter just changes form... decaying is not becoming nothing, it is just a process of changing the energy in matter into a different form. Even if scientists interfere, the energy will still exist, somehow, in some form.

What do you consider "the end"?

[Erasmus00]

Originally Posted by niviene

Why is it that you think all the stars will be gone? It seems that they are born and die almost like living beings. Matter just changes form... decaying is not becoming nothing, it is just a process of changing the energy in matter into a different form. Even if scientists interfere, the energy will still exist, somehow, in some form.

What do you consider "the end"?

Stars convert hydrogen to heavier elements. When you run out of hydrogen, you run out of stars.
-Will

[niviene]

Where does hydrogen come from?

[infamous]

Originally Posted by Erasmus00

Stars convert hydrogen to heavier elements. When you run out of hydrogen, you run out of stars.
-Will

That would be true if we only defined stars as bright shining objects. The facts are that there are other objects in our universe that don't shine and they consist of the residual material left over when the bright shining stops. The first to come to mind would be what scientists call brown dwarfs. If the star is of sufficient mass, a neutron star can form from the remnant of a super-nova explosion. Here is where things get very mysterious for the next theoritical body to form could be, what is called a quark star. Astronomers have found a possible candidate for such an object but proof is still lacking. The threshold between quark star and black hole formation is so narrow that we may never get the opportunity to actually observe such an object. Amazing universe we live in, you and I.

[Erasmus00]

Originally Posted by niviene

Where does hydrogen come from?

The big bang, under standard model.
-Will