Hubble equation function of time

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between the recessional velocity of galaxies and time, as well as the equations that describe the universe's accelerating expansion. Participants explore concepts related to Hubble's law, proper distance, and the implications of general relativity on time and space.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire whether there is an equation that explains how the recessional velocity of a galaxy changes with time and if the Friedmann equation describes the universe's accelerating expansion.
  • Others reference Hubble's law and express confusion regarding the concept of 'absolute' time in cosmology, suggesting it remains a contentious topic.
  • One participant questions how proper distance changes with time and whether an equation exists to describe this change, noting a lack of information found on Wikipedia.
  • Another participant discusses the interdependence of distance and time from a physicist's perspective, referencing Hermann Minkowski's contributions to the concept of spacetime.
  • A later reply provides a mathematical formulation for the proper distance as a function of time, relating it to the scale factor and the Hubble parameter, while also discussing the implications of relative motion on interpretations of cosmological time.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on the nature of time and distance in cosmology, with no consensus reached on the existence of a specific equation for proper distance over time or the implications of these concepts.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of clarity on the assumptions underlying the equations discussed, as well as the dependence on definitions of proper distance and cosmological time.

Einstein's Cat
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Is there an equation which explains how the recessional velcoity of a galaxy changes with time? Furthermore, does an equation exist that describes the universe's accelerating expansion; is it the Friedman equation?
 
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The concept of 'absolute' time has plagued cosmologists and philosophers since the 'beginning' of time. Einstein helped clear up the mystery with GR, but, the notion of absolute time continues to befuddle both mathematicians and philosophers.
 
Chronos said:
The concept of 'absolute' time has plagued cosmologists and philosophers since the 'beginning' of time. Einstein helped clear up the mystery with GR, but, the notion of absolute time continues to befuddle both mathematicians and philosophers.
Simon Bridge said:
How does proper distance change with time? Is there an equation to describe that? I looked on Wikipedia and found no such thing
 
From the perspective of physicists, the concepts of distance and time have no absolute meaning. Neither can exist independendent of the other. Hermann Minkowski is credited as the first to understand this odd state of affairs between space and time and coined the term spacetime to describe the interchangeability of these four fundamental dimensions of the universe back in 1908. Needless to say this greatly influenced the thinking of Einstein. See http://www.physicsoftheuniverse.com/topics_relativity_spacetime.html for a brief discussion.
 
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Chronos said:
From the perspective of physicists, the concepts of distance and time have no absolute meaning. Neither can exist independendent of the other. Hermann Minkowski is credited as the first to understand this odd state of affairs between space and time and coined the term spacetime to describe the interchangeability of these four fundamental dimensions of the universe back in 1908. Needless to say this greatly influenced the thinking of Einstein. See http://www.physicsoftheuniverse.com/topics_relativity_spacetime.html for a brief discussion.
I see, so proper distance changes with the expansion of the universe and thus with time because theoretical observers along it would appear to have relative velocity to a relative stationary observers? Therefore, meaning that the relatively moving observers would have a different interpretations of cosmological time and thus the proper distance would appear to be longer? Is this correct please?
 
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Einstein's Cat said:
How does proper distance change with time?

If ##D## is the (now) proper distance between us and a distant galaxy, then

$$D \left( t \right) = R \left( t \right) \chi,$$

where ##R \left( t \right)## is the scale factor for the universe (a solution to Friedmann's equation), ##\chi## is the constant comoving coordinate difference between us and the galaxy, and ##t## is cosmological time.

Einstein's Cat, are you familiar with calculus? Assuming you are, the rate of change of proper distance is given by

$$\frac{dD}{dt} = \frac{dR}{dt} \chi.$$

If the scale factor is known, then so is its rate of change ##dR/dt## , thus giving the rate change of proper distance, ##dD/dt##.

Multiplying the left side of the above equation by one in the form ##1=R/R##, and using ##D = R \chi## gives the Hubble relation

$$\frac{dD}{dt} = \frac{dR}{dt} \frac{R}{R} \chi = H D,$$

where the Hubble parameter (a function of time) is give by

$$H = R \frac{dR}{dt}. $$
 
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