Can We Find the Area of the Universe?

[monty37]

is it possible to find the area of universe using contour integration,as the limits would
be -infinity to +infinity?
Or even vector calculus can be used to determine area?

 

[Mark44]

The question doesn't make very much sense, in that since the universe is (at least) three-dimensional, and would therefore have volume. From what little I know about it, I believe that cosmologists fall into two camps: those who believe the universe is finite, and those who believe it is infinite. In the former case, you could make estimates based on assuming it is spheroidal, or elipsoidal, or some other geometric shape. In the latter case, the volume would likely be infinite.

 

[djeitnstine]

is it possible to find the area of universe

Are we in a universe or a multiverse(and if so what type)? Question is highly subjective...depends on who you ask

 

[Phrak]

How could you build a 4-volume out of R^2? Should it be conformal?

 

[monty37]

even if we consider the universe to be 3 dimensional,volume can be found,,as you say,if
we consider universe to be infinite,then consider volume integral,having limits from -infinity
to +infinity--we can still find the volume.

but if the universe is finite,we do not know its particular shape i.e ellipsoidal or circular,
in order to calculate?But since we know the universe is expanding,it has to be finite.

 

[sylas]

But since we know the universe is expanding,it has to be finite.

That doesn't follow. An infinite universe can be everywhere expanding.

 

[Mark44]

even if we consider the universe to be 3 dimensional,volume can be found,,as you say,if
we consider universe to be infinite,then consider volume integral,having limits from -infinity
to +infinity--we can still find the volume.

But to what purpose? If the universe is infinite, how could its volume not be infinite? And just exactly what would you integrate? This seems like a lot of work to get a trivial result.

but if the universe is finite,we do not know its particular shape i.e ellipsoidal or circular,
in order to calculate?But since we know the universe is expanding,it has to be finite.

 

[Dick]

There are not serious questions and there are serious questions. This is one of the latter.

 

[Mark44]

There are not serious questions and there are serious questions. This is one of the latter.

Dick, did you mean to say former rather than latter?

 

[Dick]

Dick, did you mean to say former rather than latter?

Dang. I had a one in two chance of using the right word by accident and I blew it.

 

[Mark44]

Don't you just hate it when that happens? Anyway, I'm glad that's cleared up. I was wondering if there was something in the post that I wasn't getting.