Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: thedoc on 26/01/2012 11:21:52

Title: Did the universe expand faster than light?
Post by: thedoc on 26/01/2012 11:21:52

If as I believe the universe was many millions of miles across a tiny fraction of a second after the big bang, how does that square with the notion that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light ?

Barry Conlin

Nottingham

   
Asked by Barry Conlin


                                        Visit the webpage for the podcast in which this question is answered. (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/astronomy/show/20120125/)

 

Title: Did the universe expand faster than light?
Post by: thedoc on 26/01/2012 11:21:52

We answered this question on the show...

Title: Re: Did the universe expand faster than light?
Post by: Phractality on 27/01/2012 02:55:30

"Nothing can travel faster than the speed of light," is a simplification from the special theory of relativity, in which there is no gravity and no acceleration. In the general theory of relativity no two massive objects can pass one another faster than the speed of light. The distance between two objects can change faster than the speed of light when they are far apart in the direction of relative motion. That rate of change of distance is not considered to be a velocity because the objects are not moving that fast relative to the space around them. Instead, the space between them is expanding or contracting because of accelerating reference frames.