For an expanding pressureless matter universe with zero cosmological constant, fixed current Hubble parameter and current matter cosmological density parameter , the age of a dust universe without a cosmological constant is . For every the integrand decreases strictly as increases. Thus open models with are older than the flat model, and closed expanding models with are younger. The flat value is and the empty Milne universe limit is . Specifying what is held fixed matters: at fixed present scale factor and energy density, the integral instead increases with , provided all three models reach on their expanding branches.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2003 iii Paper 55 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Use natural units and conformal time . The conformal Hubble parameter is . For the barotropic equation of state , the Friedmann acceleration equation givesThe Friedmann equation gives . Hence the constant-equation-of-state conformal Riccati equation isFor , separation and integration of this Riccati equation yield, after choosing the origin of conformal time,The open positive-energy density branch uses the hyperbolic cotangent, rather than the cotangent. Integrating giveswhere the positive constants are fixed by the energy density normalization. These formulas apply on branches where the bases are positive. For , take the Big Bang at . The cosmic time is thenThe integrals also give the general answer after selecting a suitable reference time when a finite Big Bang endpoint does not exist. The exceptional coasting fluid has , so is constant: and . If , instead and . A flat fluid with is the constant-density de Sitter spacetime case, for which the flat time integral is logarithmic.
During matter domination, and . Absorbing numerical factors into separate positive constants gives the closed matter-dominated Friedmann solution, the flat Einstein-de Sitter universe and the open matter-dominated Friedmann solution:To compare the age of a dust universe without a cosmological constant, specify the normalization. At fixed present Hubble parameter , with and present matter cosmological density parameter , the Friedmann equation givesThe integrand decreases strictly with for . Therefore age ordering of dust universes at fixed Hubble parameter gives, on the expanding branches,The final bound is approached by the empty Milne universe. This compares models with the same ; fixing instead the present scale factor and energy density gives a different comparison.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 iii Paper 66 2 iii Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
The stated real trigonometric substitution applies to the closed case . Set , so , , andThe upper limit obeys , with on the expanding branch. Substitution into the age of a dust universe without a cosmological constant yieldsOn this interval, the integrand equals , so it can also be evaluated:For , the original integral instead gives . For , use a hyperbolic substitution to obtain , where . A real cannot implement the printed substitution in that open case.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 iii Paper 66 2 ii Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Normalize the scale factor by . Constant-equation-of-state density scaling for pressureless matter gives . Multiplying the Friedmann equation by and substituting the expressions from part (i),Take the expanding branch and set the origin of cosmic time at the Big Bang, . The age of a dust universe without a cosmological constant is consequently
