The result above gives . Since the shear is trace-free and already first order, it cannot contribute linearly to the quadratic tensor contraction . Therefore
up to second-order scalar cosmological perturbations. Combining these with the supplied spatial Ricci scalar gives the Hamiltonian constraint
Its background part is the flat Friedmann equation . Subtracting that equation proves the linearized cosmological Hamiltonian constraint:
Here is the energy density measured by the hypersurface normal, as required by the normal-normal projection of the Einstein field equations.