Cosmology

(page 660-665)
Review:

 Oppenheimer Volkhoff limit: upper limit of remnant to mass of neutron star: remnant
more than 1.4 𝑀⊙ → neutron degeneracy (get soo close together and combine
Electrons get squashed together and opposes the electron opposed by the proton so opposes
the gravitational pressure

 Supernova → extremely dense neutron star

 If remnant mass above 2 – 3 𝑀⊙, the star collapses into black hole
 Chandrasakhar limit – upper remnant mass limit of star remnant less than 1.4 𝑀⊙ →
electron degeneracy
 Outer layers blow off – planetary nebulae
 Core collapses further – white dwarf
Newton’s universe: Newton thought that the universe was to be: infinite, uniform and static. If
this was true then the night sky would be bright because where ever you see there should be a
star.
Olber’s paradox

 In a given volume of space imagine an average number of stars N with density 𝜌

 Imagine stars in a thin shell of thickness d at a distance R
 Volume of shell: 4𝜋𝑅 2𝑑 and # of stars N in shell = N 4𝜋𝑅 2𝑑
 Number of stars N is proportional to 𝑅 2
 But brightness 𝒃 = 𝐿 4𝜋𝑅2
 Volume of shell increases with R^2 , but luminosity decreases with 𝟏/R^2
 And the total brightness w e receive is B=Nb
 B=N4(pi)R^2d x L/4(pi)R^2 = NbL
 Overall brightness: add up all shells
 Since assumed Universe is infinite, there are an infinite # of shells
So in conclusion there should be an infinite bright shy because almost all light received from the
shell does not depend upon how far away a shell (but is because of the cosmic Doppler effect
and this causes the light to become infrared and is outside the visual spectrum and because the
universe is expanding.

We only could see light that was less than 15 billion ly away. If we receive light from a finite # of stars,
the night sky would be dark.

Bing bang model:

Doppler effect causes redshift for sources moving away

→ longer λ
→ lower f
• Light sources are compared in their spectrum against the spectrum of a
stationary hydrogen source
• Galaxies show redshift for an expanding Universe
→ they move away from each other
→ they must have been much closer together in the past

At the beginning of time there was a point of infinite density called a singularity.

 Time and space was created some 10 – 20 billion years ago

 It is the space in which galaxies are situated that expands

Cosmological redshift

 Due to photons traveling through space

 Space expands causing the λ of photons to expand
 The longer a photon travels, the more its λ will increase
 The photons originating from the furthest distance will be redshifted most
Wavelength is increasing due to the space is being stretched out.

Support for the big bang:

CMB supports big bang theory:
• The Universe has cooled down as it expanded from an original hot state
• Temperature is in microwave region with 2.78K
• Wavelength has stretched as it expanded to about 1mm

Questions:
1. Describe what is ment by the big bang model
When time and space started from a big explosion from one point.
2. In the 1960s, Penzias and Wilson discovered a uniform cosmic background radiation (CMB) in
the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. (i) Explain how the CMB is consistent
with the Big Bang model.

Form a very hot beginning and then expanded and cooled down to 3K
3. State why the red-shift of light from galaxies supports the Big Bang model.
Shows that the universe is expanding
4. Newton assumed that the universe is static and that the stars are uniformly distributed. State
one further assumption of the Newtonian universe.

The universe is static

5. Explain how Newton’s assumptions led to Olbers’ paradox.

number of stars in shell increases as R2; intensity decreases with 1 𝑅2 ; hence brightness of shell is
constant; adding all shells to infinity; sky would be uniformly bright;

The Hubble law and age of the universe

What is electron degeneracy?

The upper limit for a white dwarf.

What is neutron degeneracy?

The upper limit of a neutron star.

Why is the night sky dark?

There is infrared light in space but is out of the visible spectrum so we see it as being dark.

What is the difference between doppler effect and cosmological red shift?
Dopplear shift :lamda

The light takes time to reach us and the universe has a beginning and stars are fading from the
view.
What is the evidence or the big bang?
Because of cosmological red shift and increased the wavelength to 1 mm. CMB radiation, which
is left over from the firs protons that escaped after the bing bang. It cooled down to 3K from a
very hot beginning.
Formula for hubble’s law:
Recession speend= hubble constant x the distance
v= Ho x d
V=km/s
D=MPc
Ho= km/s Mpc^-1
We calculate this form the gradient.
The hubble’s constant has changed and we don’t have to memorize it.

We need the hubble constant to find the age of the universe

T= distance/ speed
T = d/Hoxd
T= 1/Ho
And the age is ganging because of the Ho changing

To get the time turn any distance into meters then put into the formula and change to years

What I learnt today.

Hubble constant isn’t a constant and is changing and is used to find the age of the universe by
T=1/Ho.
Quick quiz:
6. V=Ho x D
7. Gradient form the VD graph
8. Find the age of the universe
9. Inaccuracies become to large by the distance increases
10. T = 1/ Ho
11. Can’t find distance because Hubble constant only applies to distant galaxies
5/6

Assuming that the universe expanded at a constant rate and that all the light reaches us so we
can find the distance. Galaxies and Earth are moving at constant speed of light “c” WRT each other.

Cosmological red shift is when space is being stretched and the wavelength stretched.

Cosmological red shift z

Z= (wavelength) observed – (wavelength) rest / (wavelength) rest

Z= delta(lambda)/original (lambda) ~ v/c

V = velocity of source

C = speed of light

The cosmic scale R

Is used to say how big the Universe is relative to today. And stretches by the the scale factor.