Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / ii / Paper 1 / 14C / Solution

Differentiate the Friedmann equation and use energy conservation to obtain $\dot{H}=-4\pi G(\rho +P/c^2)$ on the expanding branch, where $H\ne 0$. Since $\ddot{a}/a=\dot{H}+H^2$,For pressureless matter, conservation gives ${\rho }_M={\rho }_{M0}{a}^{-3}$. In terms of the specified cosmological density parameters, flatness implies ${\Omega }_M+{\Omega }_{\Lambda }=1$, andSet $b=a^{3/2}$ and take ${\Omega }_M>0$. Then $\dot{b}=\frac{3}{2}{H}_0\sqrt{{\Omega }_M+{\Omega }_{\Lambda }{b}^2}$. Integrating with the Big Bang at $t=0$ givesFor another time origin replace $t$ by $t-t_B$. The cosmological constant has effective density ${\rho }_{\Lambda }=3H_0^2{\Omega }_{\Lambda }/(8\pi G)$. Equality with the matter density means $a^3={\Omega }_M/{\Omega }_{\Lambda }$, soIf ${\Omega }_M=0$, the expanding solution is pure exponential de Sitter scale factor in flat slicing and there is no finite matter-density equality time or dust Big Bang; the stated hyperbolic-sine formula presumes a nonzero dust component.