In: Physics
10. The Hubble Age. Let's estimate the age of the universe. Pick two galaxies, one 10 Mpc away, and one 100 Mpc away. Calculate how fast each one is moving away from us, assuming a Hubble constant of 70 km/sec/Mpc. Assume they have always been moving at that speed and calculate how long (in years) it has taken them to reach their present distance. Because the expansion is uniform, it shouldn’t matter which galaxies you use. What is your estimate of the age of the Universe given this procedure? Suppose the expansion rate was faster in the past, does this mean your calculated age is an upper limit or a lower limit? Explain
If the expansion rate was faster in the past, this means our calculated age is an upper limit on the age of the universe. we can understand it in the following way. Faster rate means higher recession velocity, which means galaxies are moving large distances in less time. That means it will seem to us as less time/age of the universe. Hence then by making an assumption of uniform expansion (lower recession velocity, less distance), we are calculating the upper limit on the age of the universe.