Gravity does negative or positive work with cosmos redshift?

In summary, there is no consensus yet among cosmologists about the fate of the universe. Some support the idea of a big bounce, while others believe that the universe will continue to expand forever.
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doudou
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Based on the fact of observed cosmological redshift, scientists have proposed different ideas to explain. One interesting question is whether gravity does negative or positive work now:

According to universe expanding in Big Bang theory (Lemaitre, 1927), obviously gravity does overall negative work.

According to De Sitter's model (Willem de Sitter, 1917), redshift is caused by expansion of space itself, in this model, distance is no longer an intuitional concept, that makes it more complicated.

According to Dicke's model (Dicke, 1948-1949), it seems that gravity doesn't do overall negative or positive work in steady-state universe.

According to Tired Light theory (Zwicky, 1929), redshift could be explained by a contracting universe, in which gravity does positive work.

How to answer this question?

Thank you.
 
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doudou said:
How to answer this question?
Read an up-to-date cosmology book?
 
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Both Lemaitre and de Sitter spacetimes are solutions to the Einstein Field Equations. They don't model gravity as a force and they are neither stationary nor asymptotically flat, so I would say that "gravity does work" is not a useful concept.

I'm not familiar with Dicke's gravitational theory, but his Wikipedia page notes that he argued that the universe was near critical density, and hence spatially flat not steady state.

Zwicky's tired light is not consistent with observation, so its predictions aren't important.
 
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PeroK said:
Read an up-to-date cosmology book?
Wishing you can propose something remarkable in physics, by reading up-to-date books and posting sarcasm in forum.
 
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doudou said:
Wishing you can propose something remarkable in physics, by reading up-to-grade books and posting sarcasm in forum.
It wasn't sarcasm.
 
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Ibix said:
Both Lemaitre and de Sitter spacetimes are solutions to the Einstein Field Equations. They don't model gravity as a force and they are neither stationary nor asymptotically flat, so I would say that "gravity does work" is not a useful concept.

I'm not familiar with Dicke's gravitational theory, but his Wikipedia page notes that he argued that the universe was near critical density, and hence spatially flat not steady state.

Zwicky's tired light is not consistent with observation, so its predictions aren't important.
Thank you Ibix for kind reply :)

You are right, using language should be more careful here.

Those theories or solutions are mentioned, just because they represent typical prediction about the fate of Universe, expanding, steady, or contracting.

This is a last-lasting debate, and seems no wide agreement yet. One of my consultants, he is a physicist, who support Big Bounce. However, even among its supporters, they do not agree on which phase the universe is undergoing.

In history, it is not rare that for many years, one explanation to a certain observation is in favor, then another is, so probably, we will not be shocked if mainstream changes in the future.

Personally, which theory about the fate of Universe you prefer?
 
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doudou said:
Personally, which theory about the fate of Universe you prefer?
I think most of us here ignore "prefer" and go with the facts/observations.
 
  • #8
doudou said:
Personally, which theory about the fate of Universe you prefer?
Our current best fit model is a flat or very nearly flat universe with eternal expansion. That may change as we get more data.
 

FAQ: Gravity does negative or positive work with cosmos redshift?

What is cosmic redshift, and how is it related to gravity?

Cosmic redshift refers to the phenomenon where the wavelength of light from distant galaxies is stretched, making the light appear redder than it originally was. This occurs because the universe is expanding, causing the light to stretch as it travels through space. Gravity can influence redshift by affecting the energy of photons as they climb out of gravitational wells, leading to gravitational redshift.

Does gravity perform negative work in the context of cosmic redshift?

Yes, gravity can perform negative work in the context of cosmic redshift. When light climbs out of a gravitational well, it loses energy, which corresponds to a redshift. This loss of energy is considered negative work done by gravity on the photons.

Can gravity do positive work in the context of cosmic redshift?

Gravity can perform positive work in specific scenarios, such as when photons fall into a gravitational well and gain energy, resulting in a blueshift. However, in the context of cosmic redshift, which typically refers to the expansion of the universe, gravity is more commonly associated with negative work as light escapes gravitational fields.

How does gravitational redshift differ from cosmological redshift?

Gravitational redshift occurs when light loses energy escaping a gravitational field, while cosmological redshift is due to the expansion of the universe stretching the wavelength of light. Both result in a shift to longer wavelengths, but their causes are different: gravitational redshift is due to gravity, and cosmological redshift is due to the universe's expansion.

What role does gravity play in the overall redshift observed in the cosmos?

Gravity plays a significant role in the overall redshift observed in the cosmos by contributing to gravitational redshift. However, the dominant factor in cosmic redshift is the expansion of the universe, which causes the cosmological redshift. Both effects can combine, but for distant galaxies, cosmological redshift is typically the more significant contributor.

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