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SPA6311 Physical Cosmology, Spring 2017: Exercise Sheet 3 Dr. K. Malik

This document provides an exercise sheet for a physical cosmology course. It includes 3 problems related to cosmological models and properties of the universe. Students are asked to show relationships between cosmological distances, scale factors, redshift, curvature, and time for open and closed universe models. They must also determine the temperature when a closed universe recollapses back to its present size without calculation. The document outlines the problems, provides relevant hints, and allocates point values for each part. It also provides optional talking points for further discussion.

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36 views2 pages

SPA6311 Physical Cosmology, Spring 2017: Exercise Sheet 3 Dr. K. Malik

This document provides an exercise sheet for a physical cosmology course. It includes 3 problems related to cosmological models and properties of the universe. Students are asked to show relationships between cosmological distances, scale factors, redshift, curvature, and time for open and closed universe models. They must also determine the temperature when a closed universe recollapses back to its present size without calculation. The document outlines the problems, provides relevant hints, and allocates point values for each part. It also provides optional talking points for further discussion.

Uploaded by

zcap excel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SPA6311 Physical Cosmology, Spring 2017

Exercise sheet 3 Dr. K. Malik

These questions are designed to help you understand the material covered in the lectures.
Exercise sheets will typically be made available online on Wednesday. Please hand the so-
lutions in by the following week Thursday, 1400. Put your full name and student number
on the top of your solutions.

1. Show that for an open universe with k < 0 the proper distance
Z r0
dr
dp = √ .
0 1 − kr2
is given by
1 p
dp = p sinh−1 ( |k|r0 ) .
|k|
Hint: write −k = |k| and use similar substitutions to those we used for the closed
universe in the lecture. [30 pts.]

2. Assume an open, curvature dominated FRW universe.

a) Show that the scale factor evolves as


 
t
a(t) = ,
t0

assuming that the scale factor today is equal to unity and was zero initially.
Find the relation of t0 to the curvature constant.
b) Show that the time a light signal was emitted, te , is related to redshift by

H0−1
te = .
1+z

c) Show that the proper distance to a light source, emitting at te , to us is


 
t0
dp (t0 ) = ct0 ln .
te

Give dp (t0 ) in terms of c, H0 and z.

[50 pts.]
3. Suppose we live in a closed universe (k > 0), which will recollapse at some time in
the future. What will the temperature be when the universe has gone through its
maximum size and then shrunk back to its present size? Hint: this can be answered
nearly without calculation.

[20 pts.]

Talking points:
• How to set initial conditions for the scale factor . . .
• What does curvature domination mean for the matter content of the universe?
• What does cosmological constant domination mean for the matter content of
the universe?

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