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We know that fundamental particles (Quarks, electrons, etc.) were formed a while after the Big Bang. How was their electrical charge (its value and sign) determined? Was electrical charge present in the pre-Big Bang singularity and then distributed between particles, or the electrical charge was itself formed after the Big Bang? If the latter, how was the electrical charge produced? How was it assigned to different particles?

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    $\begingroup$ The Wikipedia article on baryogenesis doesn't directly answer your question, but it's certainly relevant. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 18, 2018 at 21:37
  • $\begingroup$ The net electrical charge of the universe seems to be zero, so no net charge was produced. $\endgroup$
    – G. Smith
    Commented Nov 19, 2018 at 0:17
  • $\begingroup$ G. Smith But HOW did electrons and protons get charged? Where did this charge come from? $\endgroup$
    – Alex L
    Commented Nov 19, 2018 at 0:22
  • $\begingroup$ I dont have the scientific experiment/ nor references to answer your question, but based on common sense it is clear that all things change, and specifically, all things evolve (change based on cause and effect). So surely, electricity also has and will evolve. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 5, 2023 at 15:27

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Charge and energy-momentum are both locally conserved in general relativity. Cosmological solutions don't extend to the singularity at $t=0$, they only cover $t>0$. According to GR, charge and energy-momentum have been locally conserved at all times $t>0$. GR doesn't say anything about how this connects to a time $t\le 0$, because according to these models, there is no $t \le0$.

Note that charged particles can be formed in charge-conserving reactions, as long as the total final charge equals the initial charge. This isn't a GR issue, it's true in flat spacetime as well. For instance, charged particles are produced from a zero-charge initial state in beta decay of a neutron, or in pair production.

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  • $\begingroup$ "Cosmological solutions don't extend to the singularity at t=0, they only cover t>0". You mean that according to our current knowledge, we cannot say WHERE the electrical charge of particles has come from and HOW they have gotten charged? Can't we basically talk about the role of electrical charges in the Big Bang? . $\endgroup$
    – Alex L
    Commented Nov 18, 2018 at 23:53

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