How do refracting and reflecting telescopes use convex lenses and mirrors

Space-time metric ds2= -dt2+at2dx2+bt2dy2+ct2dz2 (a)how does the area of a rectangle with vertices at ( x=0, y=0, z=0 ), (1,0,0 ), ( 0,1,0 ) and (1,1,0 ) changes with time? (b) if a photon moving in the x direction starts from the origin at t=1, when does it reach x=l? (ds=0 for the trajectory of a photon.) (c) the proper time for a particle is defined by cd=ds. what is the proper time for a particle to move along the trajectory ( x(t)=t, y(t)=0, z(t)=0 ) from t=0 to 1 ? what is the condition on the parameter a so that the velocity of the particle never exceeds the speed of light ?

What is the earliest point in the universe that we can observe? why can’t we see back further than this?

Acoal-fired plant generates 600 mw of electric power. the plant uses 4.8 x 10^6 kg of coal each day, and the heat of combustion of coal is 3.3x 10^7 j/kg. the steam that drives the turbines is at a temperature of 300° c, and the exhaust water is at 37° c. (a) what is the overall efficiency of the plant for generating electric power? (b) how much thermal energy is exhausted each day? (c) what is the change in entropy of the universe for this heat engine? (d) using the same heat reservoirs, what is the maximum possible (carnot) efficiency for a heat engine?