Question

When we say that the electromagnetic and weak forces ""freeze out"" from the electroweak force at 10-10 seconds after the Big Bang, we mean that

A) these forces are important only at temperatures below the freezing point of water-a temperature that the universe reached at an age of about 10-10 second.
B) ""freezing out"" was a term coined by particle physicists who think that the Big Bang theory is really cool.
C) prior to this time the electromagnetic and weak forces maintained a single identity, but they possessed separate identities following this time.
D) following this time neither the electromagnetic nor the weak force was ever important in the universe again.
E) quantum fluctuations by high-speed, relativistic particles in a state of false vacuum cause disturbances in the spacetime continuum, leading to the process described in the question this answer refers to

Answer 1

The correct answer is C, indicating that the electromagnetic and weak forces had a single identity before 10-10 s after the Big Bang but separated at this time as the universe cooled, similar to substances freezing at different temperatures.

Step-by-step explanation:

When we say that the electromagnetic and weak forces "freeze out" from the electroweak force at 10-10 seconds after the Big Bang, we are referring to the phenomenon where these forces transitioned from a single unified force into separate entities as the universe cooled. This concept is similar to how various substances freeze at different temperatures. Initially, during the Grand Unification Epoch, the temperature and energy levels were so high that gravity and the electroweak and strong nuclear forces acted as one.



However, as the universe expanded and temperatures dropped, the forces started to differentiate. The strong nuclear force separated first, and then, at around 10-10 seconds, the electromagnetic force parted ways with the weak force. This is analogous to the separation process of gases or liquids freezing at their respective temperatures. Therefore, the correct answer to the given question is C, which states that prior to this time, the electromagnetic and weak forces maintained a single identity but possessed separate identities following this time.