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Are inflation and expansion different phenomena and if so what is different about them.
Both terms seem to refer to a process of enlargement of the spacetime manifold that increases the distance between objects in a way that is somehow different from "ordinary" relative motion and which is not limited by the speed of light.
The term inflation seems to be used only in reference to the very early universe whereas expansion is believed by many to still be occurring now, possibly even at an increasing rate.
In other threads I have seen statements that certain phenomena are caused by expansion but not by inflation, which implies that they are phenomena that differ in a way that can be empirically observed.
What is the difference between the two?
Both terms seem to refer to a process of enlargement of the spacetime manifold that increases the distance between objects in a way that is somehow different from "ordinary" relative motion and which is not limited by the speed of light.
The term inflation seems to be used only in reference to the very early universe whereas expansion is believed by many to still be occurring now, possibly even at an increasing rate.
In other threads I have seen statements that certain phenomena are caused by expansion but not by inflation, which implies that they are phenomena that differ in a way that can be empirically observed.
What is the difference between the two?