Spacetime, Geometry and Gravitation (Progress in Mathematical Physics, 56, Band 56) - Hardcover

Sharan, Pankaj

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 3764399708 ISBN 13: 9783764399702

Verlag: Birkhäuser, 2009

Inhaltsangabe

This is an introductory book on the general theory of relativity based partly on lectures given to students of M.Sc. Physics at my university. The book is divided into three parts. The ?rst part is a preliminary course on general relativity with minimum preparation. The second part builds the ma- ematical background and the third part deals with topics where mathematics developed in the second part is needed. The ?rst chapter gives a general background and introduction. This is f- lowed by an introduction to curvature through Gauss’ Theorema Egregium. This theorem expresses the curvature of a two-dimensional surface in terms of intrinsic quantitiesrelatedtothein?nitesimaldistancefunctiononthesurface.Thestudent isintroducedtothemetrictensor,Christo?elsymbolsandRiemanncurvaturet- sor by elementary methods in the familiar and visualizable case of two dimensions. This early introduction to geometric quantities equips a student to learn simpler topics in general relativity like the Newtonian limit, red shift, the Schwarzschild solution, precession of the perihelion and bending of light in a gravitational ?eld. Part II (chapters 5 to 10) is an introduction to Riemannian geometry as - quired by general relativity. This is done from the beginning, starting with vectors and tensors. I believe that students of physics grasp physical concepts better if they are not shaky about the mathematics involved.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Pankaj Sharan is a professor retired from the Department of Physics at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. His research interests are chiefly in quantum mechanics, quantum field theory and general relativity. Over a teaching career spanning four decades, he has taught courses on quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, classical mechanics, general relativity and mathematical physics. He is the author of the book Spacetime, Geometry and Gravitation (Birkhäuser, 2009).

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Birkhäuser
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2009
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 3764399708
• ISBN 13: 9783764399702
• Einband: Gebundene Ausgabe
• Anzahl der Seiten: 369
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: ProductSafety@springernature.com; ProductSafety@springernature.com; ; Tiergartenstr. 17; Heidelberg; 69121; Deutschland