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EXERCISE 15
(a) Use the idea of escape velocity to show that, to prevent the galaxies in the universe from moving outward forever, the average density of the universe would have to be at least 3 * H^2 (rho) = ------------ where H is the Hubble constant. 8 * pi * G (b) Using H = 70 km s^(-1) Mpc^(-1), convert H into units of s^(-1) and compute (rho) in units of kg/m^3 and in units of hydrogen atoms per cubic meter. (c) The best measurements to date show that the mass density of the universe, including dark matter, averages about two hydrogen atoms per cubic meter. Does this mean that, by your calculations, the universe will collapse upon itself or expand forever? |