You'll be all alone!

Assume that the nearest galaxy to us is separated from us by 1 0 20 10^{20} m. If we wait long enough, in t t years we won't be able to see any other galaxy from ours. If this time is written as a × 1 0 n a \times 10^{n} , where 1 < a < 10 1 < a < 10 , what is the value of n n ?

Details and Assumptions :

  • Take the Hubble constant H = 1 0 18 H = 10^{-18} s 1 s^{-1}
  • Assume the speed of light c = 3 × 1 0 8 m/s c = 3 \times 10^{8}\text{ m/s} .


The answer is 11.

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1 solution

Lucas Tell Marchi
Mar 24, 2014

It is rather easy, actually. First, by Hubble's relation we have V = H a V = Ha where V V is the velocity of a galaxy that is a a meters away from us. To know the distance the galaxy will be from us in the moment it will desapear, we make V = c V = c (it is allowed in general relativity). Again, using Hubble's relation

d a d t = H a x 0 x d a a = H t 0 t d t x = x 0 e H ( t t 0 ) \frac{da}{dt} = Ha \Rightarrow \int_{x_{0}}^{x} \frac{da}{a} = H \int_{t_{0}}^{t} dt \therefore x = x_{0}e^{H(t-t_{0})}

Where x 0 x_{0} is the distance of the nearest galaxy to us, x x is the distance function and we'll assume t 0 = 0 t_{0} = 0 (that is, the time starts counting from now). Using the condition we discovered above (that the distance must be a = c H a = \frac{c}{H} ) we have

c H = x 0 e H t t = 1 H × ln c x 0 H \frac{c}{H} = x_{0}e^{Ht} \Rightarrow t = \frac{1}{H} \times \ln{\frac{c}{x_{0}H}}

And for those values that were given in the problem, we'll get the time in seconds. Converting to years, the answer will give us n = 11 n = 11 .

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