Special relativity and Universe expansion.

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between Special Relativity and the expansion of the Universe, emphasizing that Special Relativity operates within a non-expanding Minkowski space, while General Relativity (GR) accounts for cosmic expansion. The Hubble Law, expressed as v=H*D, indicates that recession velocities can exceed the speed of light (c) due to the expansion of spacetime, although no observer will measure superluminal speeds. Additionally, the Friedmann equations suggest various models of cosmic expansion, including scenarios that start with the Big Bang and potentially end with a Big Crunch, indicating limits to expansion under certain conditions.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Special Relativity and its principles
  • Familiarity with General Relativity and its implications for cosmic phenomena
  • Knowledge of the Hubble Law and its mathematical representation
  • Basic grasp of the Friedmann equations regarding Universe expansion
NEXT STEPS
  • Study General Relativity and its applications in cosmology
  • Explore the Hubble Law in detail and its implications for distant galaxies
  • Investigate the Friedmann equations and their different models of Universe expansion
  • Learn about the concepts of Big Bang and Big Crunch in cosmological theories
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, physicists, and students of cosmology who seek to understand the dynamics of the Universe's expansion and the interplay between Special and General Relativity.

mprm86
Messages
52
Reaction score
0
I have heard that the Universe is expanding, and the longer is the distance between two bodies, so the greater will be the speed of expansion. So, my question is: If two bodies were far enough, so tehy could reach c or even go faster? (i guess there is no limit for Universe expansion). I know I´m not a genius, and i haven't discovered some paradox or somewhat, so, help me please and explain me what really happens. Thanks. :-p
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hi, bienvenido
don't mix the concepts Special Relativity and Universe expansion, because Special Relativity is a theory that has as foreground a Minkowski space, that is a non-expanding space. The expansion can be modeled with General Relativity, that has Special Relativity as a special case. In GR, there are objects receding faster than c, because with Hubble Law
v=H*D
where D is proper distance, H the Hubble parameter, you can obtain recession velocities v greater than c. But there's no paradox because in the frame of reference of the observer there's no superluminal velocity observed. They are receding with spacetime, but their peculiar velocity inside spacetime remains subluminal
 
mprm86 said:
i guess there is no limit for Universe expansion Thanks. :-p
I think there is some thing wrong with that.
There are 3 versions of the expansion of the Universe according to Friedmann.1 of them states that we begin with Big BAng and finish with Big Crunch.Therefore, we definitely have the limit of the expansion(if the theory is right.)
 
Picture it this way: A 2d world on an expanding sphere.

According to any person on that world, everything else is getting farther away. Someone who starts off moving at 5 kph relative away from some other person, and doesn't accelerate afterwards, will observer the relative speed as actually increasing! (at least until they went all the way around the sphere and were actually moving towards)
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
3K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
928
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
2K
  • · Replies 35 ·
2
Replies
35
Views
3K
  • · Replies 47 ·
2
Replies
47
Views
4K