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If we imagine that the four fundamental forces disappeared, all structures that had a non zero temperature (Kelvin) would quickly disintegrate due to the particles colliding with each other and start wandering indefinitely through our universe, away from the original structure.

This process would lead us to total heat death (thermodynamics) in a very short time.

That isn't happening in our current universe. Thus I'm tempted to conclude that the four forces are constantly actively "working" towards keeping our universe away from heat death. Would others be tempted to say the same?

Hypothesis: As long as the forces exist, the universe will never reach a state in which all particles are more or less homogenously distributed across the universe. The particles will continue to be gathered in otherwise improbable constellations (constellations that have near perfect spherical forms with a high density of particles. Typically stars and planets). The heat characteristic of these improbable constellations would, however, go unhindered towards heat death. The four forces won't hinder that development.

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  • $\begingroup$ If the forces disappeared the entropy of the universe would remain constant, since without interaction there is no way for the system to equilibrate. Also, there is no way for the forces to disappear in a consistent manner. $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 17, 2015 at 12:45
  • $\begingroup$ OK, then what if only gravity disappeared? $\endgroup$
    – loldrup
    Commented Oct 18, 2015 at 20:05
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    $\begingroup$ In a way gravity is the most difficult force to make disappear consistently (it is difficult for the other forces as well). But with gravity you'll have the complication that you must change space itself to make gravity disappear and you cannot simply map a curved space to a flat one, without changing distances. Simply setting the coupling constant $G$ to zero will not remove self-interaction of the gravitational field. And there you would get into conservation of energy troubles (as the metric field would still make matter move, but not loose energy by that). $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 18, 2015 at 21:04

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Maybe the three forces(Electromagnetism, Strong and Weak nuclear forces) are fighting and helping entropy. For example the weak force works for entropy by bringing down object masses. For example the weak force causes Beta decay and this increases entropy

$$n \rightarrow p^+ + e^- + \bar \nu_e$$

However the weak force can fight entropy for example it can decrease entropy by which low entropy photons combine into W+ and W- bosons. These bosons can combine to form Z bosons which then turn into proton and antiproton pairs which are more orderly than photons.

Electromagnetism and strong nuclear keep order by making atoms but they also create disorder because of decay.

The exception to this is gravity. Gravity fights entropy and disorder. It keeps stars and planets in orbit. It fights dark energy which mostly helps entropy.

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