Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ii Paper 1 9B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
For an infinitesimal test mass on the surface of a homogeneous sphere, its Newtonian mechanical energy isThe spatially flat case corresponds to zero specific energy. Usingand dividing by givesSince is proportional to the scale factor , this is the Newtonian derivation of the flat Friedmann equation
Now take and . PutThe contracting branch of the Friedmann equation isIntegrating from givesThereforeon the contracting interval, reaching at .