eBook downloads, eBook resources & eBook authors
Comprehensive coverage of special theory (frames of reference, Lorentz transformation, more), general theory (principle of equivalence, more) and unified theory (Weyl's gauge-invariant geometry, more.) Foreword by Albert Einstein.
The revised and updated 2nd edition of this established textbook provides a self-contained introduction to the general theory of relativity, describing not only the physical principles and applications of the theory, but also the mathematics needed, in particular the calculus of differential forms. Updated throughout, the book contains more detailed explanations and extended discussions of several conceptual points, and strengthened mathematical deductions where required. It includes examples of work conducted in the ten years since the first edition of the book was published, for example the pedagogically helpful concept of a "river of space" and a more detailed discussion of how far the principle of relativity is contained in the general theory of relativity. Also presented is a discussion of the concept of the 'gravitational field' in Einstein's theory, and some new material concerning the 'twin paradox' in the theory of relativity. Finally, the book contains a new section about gravitational waves, exploring the dramatic progress in this field following the LIGO observations. Based on a long-established masters course, the book serves advanced undergraduate and graduate level students, and also provides a useful reference for researchers.
This book provides an introduction to the theory of relativity and the mathematics used in its processes. Three elements of the book make it stand apart from previously published books on the theory of relativity. First, the book starts at a lower mathematical level than standard books with tensor calculus of sufficient maturity to make it possible to give detailed calculations of relativistic predictions of practical experiments. Self-contained introductions are given, for example vector calculus, differential calculus and integrations. Second, in-between calculations have been included, making it possible for the non-technical reader to follow step-by-step calculations. Thirdly, the conceptual development is gradual and rigorous in order to provide the inexperienced reader with a philosophically satisfying understanding of the theory. The goal of this book is to provide the reader with a sound conceptual understanding of both the special and general theories of relativity, and gain an insight into how the mathematics of the theory can be utilized to calculate relativistic effects.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Explains the fundamental principles of relativity, describing such aspects of the theory as black holes, curvature of spacetime, and singularity, as well as its practical applications in everyday life.
Introduction to Relativity is intended to teach physics and astronomy majors at the freshman, sophomore or upper-division levels how to think about special and general relativity in a fundamental, but accessible, way. Designed to render any reader a "master of relativity", everything on the subject is comprehensible and derivable from first principles. The book emphasizes problem solving, contains abundant problem sets, and is conveniently organized to meet the needs of both student and instructor. Simplicity: the book teaches space and time in relativity in a physical fashion with minimal mathematics Conciseness: the book teaches relativity by emphasizing the basic simplicity of the principles at work Visualization: space-time diagrams (Minkowski) illustrate phenomena from simultaneity to the resolution of the twin paradox in a concrete fashion Worked problems: two chapters of challenging problems solved in several ways illustrate and teach the principles Problem sets: each chapter is accompanied by a full set of problems for the student that teach the principles and some new phenonmena
By the year 1900, most of physics seemed to be encompassed in the two great theories of Newtonian mechanics and Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism. Unfortunately, there were inconsistencies between the two theories that seemed irreconcilable. Although many physicists struggled with the problem, it took the genius of Einstein to see that the inconsistencies were concerned not merely with mechanics and electromagnetism, but with our most elementary ideas of space and time. In the special theory of relativity, Einstein resolved these difficulties and profoundly altered our conception of the physical universe. Readers looking for a concise, well-written explanation of one of the most important theories in modern physics need search no further than this lucid undergraduate-level text. Replete with examples that make it especially suitable for self-study, the book assumes only a knowledge of algebra. Topics include classical relativity and the relativity postulate, time dilation, the twin paradox, momentum and energy, particles of zero mass, electric and magnetic fields and forces, and more.
Renowned relativist James Hartle's fluent and accessible physics-first introduction to general relativity uses minimal new mathematics and begins with the essential physical applications. This ground-breaking text, reissued by Cambridge University Press, makes this fundamental theory accessible to virtually all physics majors.
Special relativity is a cornerstone of the structure of all fundamental theories, and general relativity has blossomed from Einstein's original theory into a cutting-edge applied science. Applications of Einstein's field equations describe such phenomena as supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies, the spiraling paths of binary pulsars, gravitational lensing caused by massive compact halo objects (Macho's), and the possibility of detecting gravitational waves emitted in cataclysmic cosmic events. In Introduction to Relativity, physics teacher and researcher Bill McGlinn explains the fundamental concepts of Einstein's special and general theories of relativity. He describes the basic consequences of special relativity—length contraction and time dilation—and the enigma of the twin paradox, as well as the Doppler shift of light. Relativistic dynamics is contrasted to Newtonian dynamics, followed by a discussion of relativistic tensor fields, including those of the electromagnetic field and the energy-momentum density of fluids. After a study of Einstein's early attempt at incorporating the equivalence principle into physics, McGlinn presents the general theory of relativity, discussing the three classic tests of relativity: the deflection of light by a gravitational field; the precession of perihelia; and the gravitational redshift of light. He also discusses other important applications, such as the dynamics of orbiting gyroscopes, the properties of stellar interiors, and black holes. The book ends with a chapter on cosmology, which includes discussions of kinematics and dynamics of the famed Robertson-Walker metric, Hubble's constant, cosmological constant, and cosmic microwave background radiation. For anyone seeking a brief, clear overview of modern general relativity which emphasizes physics over mathematics, McGlinn's Introduction to Relativity is indispensable.
