Portal:General relativity
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General Relativity
Topic within the Astrophysics department
Topic description
[edit | edit source]General relativity (GR) is an advanced topic within the department of Astrophysics and requires a high level of knowledge in calculus, algebra and physics in general. Tensor fields are a critical part of general relativity.
Prerequisites
[edit | edit source]- Topic:Special relativity (SR) - the spacetimes of GR have the spacetime of SR as a limiting case at a point in spacetime, so you must first understand SR
- Topic:Differential geometry - you need to understand tensors, tensor fields and differential geometry in general in order to understand GR; elements of these are frequently taught within a GR course as an alternative to a full differential geometry course
Courses
[edit | edit source]- Special relativity and steps towards general relativity (shortcut: SRepsilonGR)
- this course includes a few elements towards elementary general relativity
- Cosmology
- twentieth/twenty-first cosmology is one of the main applications of general relativity
Lectures
[edit | edit source]- General relativity
- Introduction to general relativity
- Inveiling the breakdown of Euclidean geometry in linearized general relativity
See: Learning Projects and the Wikiversity:Learning model.
Learning materials and learning projects can be used by multiple departments. Cooperate with other departments that use the same learning resource.
Relevant topics: Covariance, Vectors/ Fields, Tensor Calculus, Euler-Lagrange equations, Equivalence principle, Curvature, Riemann Tensor, Gravitational Waves
Problem Reviews
[edit | edit source]External learning resources
[edit | edit source]- The website for a GR class taught at Caltech by Kip Thorne and Lee Lindblom. Contains problems, solutions and some lecture notes. [1]
- The first of a sequence of videos of lectures of an "Introduction to General Relativity" class taught by Kip Thorne. [2]
- "Lecture Notes on General Relativity" by Sean Carroll. Coincidentally the basis for his book. [3]
- The General Relativity Tutorial, John Baez: online tutorials and reading list.
