SPA6311 Physical Cosmology, Spring 2017

Coursework sheet 1 Dr. K. Malik

These questions are designed to help you understand the material covered in the lectures.
Exercise sheets will typically be made available online on Wednesday afternoon. Please
hand the solutions in by the following Thursday, 1500. Put your full name and student
number on the top of your solutions.

1. a) Relativistic redshift (according to Special Relativity) is given by

s
1 + v/c
1+z = ,
1 − v/c

where z is the redshift, v the velocity, and c the speed of light. Show that for small
velocities v (compared to the speed of light c) the redshift expression reduces to
z ≈ vc . [40 pts.]

b) Using Hubble’s law find a redshift-distance relation valid for small recession
speeds. [10 pts.]

c) Calculate the proper distance at which an object has a recession speed of c, the
speed of light, for h = 0.68. [10 pts.]

2. The Milky Way has about 1011 stars. Assuming that each star weighs about M? '
2 × 1031 kg, and that galaxies are typically separated 1 Mpc, calculate the average
density of the universe (in SI units). [20 pts.]

3. We have measured the distance to a close by galaxy, with apparent magnitude

m1 = 6, to be d1 = 1Mpc (e.g. using Cepheids as standard candles). We now assu-
me that all galaxies are similar and have therefore the same intrinsic or absolute,
luminosity (a very crude approximation!). Then measuring the apparent magnitude
of a second galaxy to be m2 = 21, estimate the distance to that galaxy. [20 pts.]

Talking points:
• How large are large scales?

• Olbers’ paradox, discuss . . .

• Does the universe expand into something?