Question

Which of the following statements best explains what we mean when we say that the strong force "froze out" at 10-38 second after the Big Bang?

1) The strong force became inactive and stopped influencing the behavior of particles.
2) The strong force became stronger and started dominating over other fundamental forces.
3) The strong force transitioned from a unified force to separate strong and electroweak forces.
4) The strong force became weaker and started losing its influence on particle interactions.

Answer 1

The strong force transitioned from a unified force to separate strong and electroweak forces.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that best explains what we mean when we say that the strong force "froze out" at 10-38 second after the Big Bang is that the strong force transitioned from a unified force to separate strong and electroweak forces.

In the early universe, at times prior to 10-35 second, the temperatures were high enough for the strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces to be indistinguishable and act as one force. However, as the universe cooled down, these forces took on separate and distinctive characteristics. Just like different gases or liquids freeze at different temperatures, the forces "froze out" of the unified force at different temperatures.