Einstein's General Theory of Relativity
A Concise Introduction

A short and elementary introduction to black holes, gravitational waves, cosmology and the Big Bang for university level physics students.

Brian P. Dolan (Author)

9781009263733, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 29 June 2023

219 pages
22.8 x 15.2 x 1.1 cm, 0.33 kg

Einstein's general theory of relativity can be a notoriously difficult subject for students approaching it for the first time, with arcane mathematical concepts such as connection coefficients and tensors adorned with a forest of indices. This book is an elementary introduction to Einstein's theory and the physics of curved space-times that avoids these complications as much as possible. Its first half describes the physics of black holes, gravitational waves and the expanding Universe, without using tensors. Only in the second half are Einstein's field equations derived and used to explain the dynamical evolution of the early Universe and the creation of the first elements. Each chapter concludes with problem sets and technical mathematical details are given in the appendices. This short text is intended for undergraduate physics students who have taken courses in special relativity and advanced mechanics.

1. Introduction
2. Metrics
3. Geodesics
4. The geometry of curved spaces
5. Einstein's field equations
6. Solutions of Einstein's equations in empty space
7. Cosmology and the Big Bang
Appendix A. Tensors of type (p
q)
Appendix B. The Riemann tensor
Appendix C. The energy-momentum tensor
Appendix D. The Schwarzschild metric
Appendix E. Robertson-Walker space-time
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Mathematical physics [PHU], Relativity physics [PHR], Cosmology & the universe [PGK]