In the big bang theory, there was an infinitely hot, infinitely dense singularity.

Isn't temperature the emittance of photons, and photons according to the current model, didn't exist for around 380,000 years after the big bang. So how could the singularity be hot if there were no particles to vibrate.

Am I confusing energy with temperature? can you have energy without temperature? and how can you explain density without matter.

Apologies for the stupid questions, I just want to start a conversation.

Thanks

21 minutes ago, DiamondSun said:

Isn't temperature the emittance of photons

No.

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance. Photons are emitted by hot objects, with the spectrum depending on the temperature.

You are referring to the time of last scattering. Photons existed before that time. They just didn’t travel very far before interacting.

 

Thanks swansont, noted.

I suppose I'm trying to work out if there could have ever been just energy without photons.

1 hour ago, DiamondSun said:

Thanks swansont, noted.

I suppose I'm trying to work out if there could have ever been just energy without photons.

Energy is a property so energy of what ?

18 hours ago, DiamondSun said:

I suppose I'm trying to work out if there could have ever been just energy without photons.

Can there be yellow without bananas and lemons? Can you have round without balls and circles? Can I borrow a cup of momentum? All of these things, including energy, are properties of a thing rather than things by themselves.