General Information

A one-semester introduction to general relativity that develops the essential structure and phenomenology of the theory without requiring prior exposure to tensor analysis. General relativity is a fundamental cornerstone of physics that underlies several of the most exciting areas of current research, including relativistic astrophysics, cosmology, and the search for a quantum theory of gravity. At the level of Gravity: An Introduction to Einstein’s General Relativity by Hartle.

Prerequisites

Classical mechanics at the level of PHYS 3318 and special relativity at the level of PHYS 1116 or PHYS 2216. Electromagnetism at the level of PHYS 3327 is useful.

Topics Covered

  • Special relativity
  • Differential geometry
  • Metrics
  • Geodesics
  • The Riemann tensor
  • Black hole spacetimes
  • Cosmological solutions
  • The Einstein equation and its linearized gravitational wave solutions

Workload

General Advice

Testimonials

Past Offerings

Semester Professor Median Grade Course Page