Unlocking the Significance of FRW Metric for Cosmological Redshift

In summary, the FRW metric, known for its killing tensor, has shown that as the universe expands, the frequency of photons decreases for massless particles. This discovery of expansion and cosmological redshift was made in the first decade of GR's existence. It served as great confirmation for GR as it was impossible to construct stable cosmological solutions that were not dynamic and expanding. Prior to this discovery, there were no models or theories that predicted such a phenomenon, making it a significant test for GR.
  • #1
binbagsss
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So from a killing tensor the FRW metric is known to possess, for a massless particle we find the well known result that as the universe expands the frequency of the photons decreases . But , what does this do for gr ?
Was this known to happen before gr ?

Thanks a lot.

(I know it is used to show the universe is expanding etc but is it any sort of test for gr ? )
 
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  • #2
The discovery of expansion and cosmological redshift occurred in the first decade of GR's existence. Einstein could have gone down as predicting expansion and cosmological redshift before there was any observational evidence for them except that he thought the universe 'must be' largely static, so contrived (unstable) cosmology models that had this feature (having, in private work found that natural solutions were expanding).

In any case, it is great confirmation of GR, because it is impossible to construct stable cosmological solutions that are not dynamic, with an expanding phase, in GR. Thus not finding these observation would have been a big strike against GR. There was no prior model that predicted such a thing, and no real competing model to GR for matching these features.
 

1. What is the FRW metric and how does it relate to cosmological redshift?

The Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metric is a mathematical framework used to describe the expanding universe in cosmology. It is based on the assumption of a homogeneous and isotropic universe, meaning that the properties of the universe are the same in all directions and at all locations. The FRW metric is important in understanding cosmological redshift because it provides a way to calculate the distances and velocities of objects in an expanding universe, which is necessary for measuring the cosmological redshift of these objects.

2. What is the significance of the FRW metric for understanding the expanding universe?

The FRW metric is significant because it is the mathematical foundation for many important cosmological theories, such as the Big Bang theory. It allows scientists to make detailed predictions about the expansion of the universe and the properties of the objects within it. It also provides a framework for understanding the relationship between distance and redshift, which is crucial for measuring the expansion rate of the universe.

3. How is the FRW metric derived and what are its key assumptions?

The FRW metric is derived from Einstein's theory of general relativity, which describes the relationship between gravity and the curvature of space-time. It is based on the assumption that the universe is expanding uniformly in all directions and that the distribution of matter is homogeneous and isotropic. These assumptions are known as the cosmological principle and are supported by observational evidence.

4. Can the FRW metric be used to explain all aspects of cosmology?

No, the FRW metric is a simplified model of the universe and does not account for all of the complexities and phenomena observed in cosmology. For example, it does not account for the effects of dark matter and dark energy, which are believed to make up a significant portion of the universe's mass and energy. However, the FRW metric is a useful tool for understanding the basic principles of the expanding universe and has been validated by numerous observations and experiments.

5. How does the FRW metric impact our understanding of the early universe?

The FRW metric plays a crucial role in our understanding of the early universe. It is used to calculate the age of the universe, the expansion rate, and the density of matter and energy. It is also used in theories such as cosmic inflation, which describes the rapid expansion of the universe in the first fractions of a second after the Big Bang. Without the FRW metric, our understanding of the early universe and its evolution would be significantly limited.

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