In a radiation dominated era, how do I show this?

In summary, the equation provided is a general equation of state for a radiation dominated universe, and it can be derived from the energy density and pressure equations for radiation in a FLRW universe.
  • #1
Phil1093
5
0
As above. In a radiation dominated how do I show this equation?
http://i.imgur.com/nMwxvD5.png (It's easier for me to post the image to imgur than use latex.


I know g is the relativistic degrees of freedom.
I think that the scale factor a(t) is proportional to 1/t
and that a(T) is proportional to 1/T

I think it might have something to do with,

s= s/v = (E+P)/KbT
and s=(1+w) Pc^2/KbTbut other than that, I don't know where to start :/ Any help would be appreciated :)
 
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  • #2
The equation you provided is a general equation of state for a radiation dominated universe and therefore is not dependent on the scale factor a(t).To show this, we need to look at the energy density ρ and pressure p of radiation in a Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) universe. In a FLRW universe, the energy density of radiation is given by:ρ = 3gπ2T^4/15c^5where g is the number of relativistic degrees of freedom and T is the temperature. Similarly, the pressure of radiation is given by:p = gπ2T^4/45c^5Combining these two equations gives us:s = (ρ + p)/kBT = (3gπ2T^4/15c^5 + gπ2T^4/45c^5)/kBT = (4gπ2T^4/15c^5)/kBT = (1 + w)Pc^2/kBTwhere w = 1/3 is the equation of state parameter for radiation.Therefore, we can see that the equation of state for a radiation dominated universe is indeed given by s = (1 + w)Pc^2/kBT.
 

Related to In a radiation dominated era, how do I show this?

1. What is a radiation dominated era?

A radiation dominated era refers to a period in the history of the universe when radiation was the dominant form of energy. This typically occurs in the early stages of the universe, shortly after the Big Bang.

2. How do we know if we are in a radiation dominated era?

Scientists can determine if we are in a radiation dominated era by studying the energy density and temperature of the universe. During this era, the universe is filled with high energy particles such as photons and neutrinos.

3. What evidence supports the existence of a radiation dominated era?

One major piece of evidence for a radiation dominated era is the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. This is the remnant radiation from the Big Bang and is considered to be the oldest light in the universe. The CMB is consistent with the predictions of a radiation dominated era.

4. How does a radiation dominated era affect the evolution of the universe?

During a radiation dominated era, the universe expands rapidly and cools down. As the universe expands, the energy density of radiation decreases, allowing other forms of energy, such as matter, to become dominant. This leads to the formation of structures like galaxies and galaxy clusters.

5. Can we observe a radiation dominated era today?

No, we cannot observe a radiation dominated era today. The universe is currently in a matter-dominated era, as the energy density of matter is greater than that of radiation. However, we can study the remnants of the radiation dominated era, such as the CMB, to better understand the early stages of the universe.

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