In a recent article, Faraoni proposed an alternative procedure to solve the Friedman–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker cosmological equations. The basic result of that paper was obtained long ago through a different approach, which seems to be little known and deserves closer attention due to its pedagogical interest. The broad importance of this method is readily recognized by examining some additional cases not considered by Faraoni. Its instructive potential for introductory courses on cosmology has been positively verified by the author in many lectures during the last decade.
Topics
Lectures
REFERENCES
1.
V.
Faraoni
, “Solving for the dynamics of the universe
,” Am. J. Phys.
67
(8
), 732
–734
(1999
).2.
M. J. D.
Assad
and J. A. S.
Lima
, “General and unified solution for perfect fluid homogeneous and isotropic cosmological models
,” Gen. Relativ. Gravit.
20
, 527
–538
(1988
).3.
L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz, The Classical Theory of Fields (Pergamon, Oxford, 1989), pp. 363–367.
4.
R. D’Inverno, Introducing Einstein’s Relativity (Clarendon, Oxford, 1992), p. 322.
5.
H. Stephani, General Relativity (Cambridge U.P., Cambridge, 1990), pp. 265–271.
6.
Ya. B. Zeldovich and I. D. Novikov, Stars and Relativity (Dover, New York, 1996), pp. 186–187.
7.
Actually, the case should be separately discussed because from (5) one has This means that the solution, is valid for all values of K. Taking the first integral as given by (7), the particular closed expansionist solution is lost.
8.
J. A. S. Lima, Notes in Cosmology 1990 (in Portuguese, unpublished).
9.
J. A. S.
Lima
, A. M.
Moreira
, and J.
Santos
, “Particle-like description for FRW cosmologies
,” Gen. Relativ. Gravit.
30
, 425
–434
(1998
).
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2001 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2001
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.
