Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-general-relativity-and-cosmology-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2013/4/a/solution
Past exam of the general relativity and cosmology course of the University of Oxford 2013 4 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
Throughout this question use natural units with . For zero potential and nonzero kinetic energy, the homogeneous canonical scalar field has , so . Its equation of motion becomes , giving and thereforeThe same scaling follows from cosmological energy conservation with constant equation-of-state parameter . If the field is exactly constant, both and vanish and their ratio is undefined; that is the separate empty solution.
New to topics? Read the docs here!