For an infinitesimal test mass on the surface of a homogeneous sphere, its Newtonian mechanical energy is
The spatially flat case corresponds to zero specific energy. Using
and dividing by gives
Since is proportional to the scale factor , this is the Newtonian derivation of the flat Friedmann equation
Now take and . Put
The contracting branch of the Friedmann equation is
Integrating from gives
Therefore
on the contracting interval, reaching at .