What does cosmological constant mean?

Definitions for cosmological constant
cos·mo·log·i·cal con·stant

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word cosmological constant.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. cosmological constantnoun

    an arbitrary constant in the equations of general relativity theory

Wiktionary

  1. cosmological constantnoun

    A term added by Albert Einstein to his equations of general relativity in order to account for a supposed static universe.

Wikipedia

  1. Cosmological constant

    In cosmology, the cosmological constant (usually denoted by the Greek capital letter lambda: Λ), alternatively called Einstein's cosmological constant, is the constant coefficient of a term that Albert Einstein temporarily added to his field equations of general relativity. He later removed it. Much later it was revived and reinterpreted as the energy density of space, or vacuum energy, that arises in quantum mechanics. It is closely associated with the concept of dark energy.Einstein originally introduced the constant in 1917 to counterbalance the effect of gravity and achieve a static universe, a notion that was the accepted view at the time. Einstein's cosmological constant was abandoned after Edwin Hubble's confirmation that the universe was expanding. From the 1930s until the late 1990s, most physicists agreed with Einstein's choice of setting the cosmological constant to zero. That changed with the discovery in 1998 that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, implying that the cosmological constant may have a positive value.Since the 1990s, studies have shown that, assuming the cosmological principle, around 68% of the mass–energy density of the universe can be attributed to so-called dark energy. The cosmological constant Λ is the simplest possible explanation for dark energy, and is used in the current standard model of cosmology known as the ΛCDM model. According to quantum field theory (QFT), which underlies modern particle physics, empty space is defined by the vacuum state, which is composed of a collection of quantum fields. All these quantum fields exhibit fluctuations in their ground state (lowest energy density) arising from the zero-point energy present everywhere in space. These zero-point fluctuations should act as a contribution to the cosmological constant Λ, but when calculations are performed, these fluctuations give rise to an enormous vacuum energy. The discrepancy between theorized vacuum energy from quantum field theory and observed vacuum energy from cosmology is a source of major contention, with the values predicted exceeding observation by some 120 orders of magnitude, a discrepancy that has been called "the worst theoretical prediction in the history of physics!". This issue is called the cosmological constant problem and it is one of the greatest mysteries in science with many physicists believing that "the vacuum holds the key to a full understanding of nature".

ChatGPT

  1. cosmological constant

    The cosmological constant is a fundamental concept in physics related to Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. It is a term in the equations of general relativity that is proportional to the metric tensor and represents the density of the energy of empty space, or vacuum energy. Its value is considered to be constant throughout the universe. If non-zero, it implies a universe that expands or contracts at an accelerating rate, providing possible explanations for observable phenomenon such as dark energy or the accelerated expansion of the universe.

Wikidata

  1. Cosmological constant

    In cosmology, the cosmological constant is equivalent to an energy density in otherwise empty space. It was proposed by Albert Einstein as a modification of his original theory of general relativity to achieve a static universe. Einstein abandoned the concept after the observation of the Hubble redshift indicated that the universe might not be stationary, as he had based his theory on the idea that the universe is unchanging. However, a number of observations including the discovery of cosmic acceleration in 1998 have revived the cosmological constant. The Lambda-CDM model of the Universe asserts that Λ is positive, although negligible even on the scale of the Milky Way.

Matched Categories

How to pronounce cosmological constant?

How to say cosmological constant in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of cosmological constant in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of cosmological constant in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5


Translations for cosmological constant

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • kosmologinen vakioFinnish
  • ब्रह्माण्ड संबंधी स्थिरांकHindi

Get even more translations for cosmological constant »

Translation

Find a translation for the cosmological constant definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"cosmological constant." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 Dec. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/cosmological+constant>.

Discuss these cosmological constant definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for cosmological constant? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Image or illustration of

    cosmological constant

    Credit »

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    make worse
    A obligate
    B aggravate
    C distinguish
    D signify

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for cosmological constant: