Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2024/ii/paper-3/9d/b/solution

For an expanding universe with , the coefficient is positive. Thus is unstable toward the future: an initial decreases away from one toward zero, whereas an initial increases and eventually corresponds to recollapse. In radiation domination, and
so a phase-line sketch has arrows away from the fixed point on both sides. Consequently the observed near-flatness today requires extremely fine tuning of the early value of .

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