Schwarzschild Radius of All Matter & Energy in Known Universe

In summary, the concept of the Schwarzschild radius cannot be applied to the known universe because it is not an isolated distribution of matter surrounded by emptiness. Therefore, it does not have a defined Schwarzschild radius.
  • #1
Ontophobe
60
1
Including dark matter but not including dark energy, what's the Schwarzschild radius of the known universe? Actually, let me put it another way. What's the SR of all the matter and energy thought to be created at the Big Bang? So that would include not just all the matter we see but also all the matter and antimatter that was created and subsequently annihilated itself. And furthermore, how does this SR compare to the radius of the universe when inflation ended/regular ol' accelerated expansion commenced? Are they the same, close, or way off?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Ontophobe said:
what's the Schwarzschild radius of the known universe?

It doesn't have one. The universe is not an isolated distribution of matter surrounded by emptiness, which is the only configuration of matter (or spacetime) that the concept "Schwarzschild radius" can be applied to. (The more technical way of saying this is that the universe is not asymptotically flat, so there's no way to assign it a "mass" that you could plug into the formula for the Schwarzschild radius.)
 
  • Like
Likes Dale

What is the Schwarzschild Radius of All Matter & Energy in the Known Universe?

The Schwarzschild Radius is a measure of the size of the event horizon, or point of no return, of a black hole. It is calculated using the mass and density of an object, and for all matter and energy in the known universe, it is estimated to be about 13.7 billion light years.

How is the Schwarzschild Radius calculated?

The Schwarzschild Radius is calculated using the equation Rs = 2Gm/c^2, where G is the gravitational constant, m is the mass of the object, and c is the speed of light. This equation relates the mass of an object to its event horizon, or point of no return.

Can the Schwarzschild Radius change?

Yes, the Schwarzschild Radius can change depending on the mass and density of an object. As an object gains more mass, its Schwarzschild Radius increases, making it more likely to become a black hole.

What objects have a Schwarzschild Radius larger than their physical size?

All objects with a large enough mass and density have a Schwarzschild Radius larger than their physical size. This includes stars, planets, and even galaxies. However, for most objects, their physical size is much larger than their Schwarzschild Radius and they do not collapse into black holes.

What is the significance of the Schwarzschild Radius in astrophysics?

The Schwarzschild Radius is significant in astrophysics because it helps us understand the behavior of massive objects, such as black holes. It also plays a key role in the study of gravity and the curvature of spacetime, as described by Einstein's theory of general relativity.

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Cosmology
Replies
30
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
64
Views
6K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
2
Views
875
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
17
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
13
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
21
Views
1K
Back
Top