PHYS4390 - General Relativity

Index to lecture notes

PHYS4390 notes will appear here as the course is being taught.

Lecture 1 (ppt): Course outline, supplemental information, why study GR?

Lectures 2-7 (pdf): Recap of Special Relativity; k-calculus, time dilation, length contraction. Overview of differential geometry ("physics as geometry"), examples of coordinate systems. Introduction to tensor algebra.

Lectures 8-10 (pdf): Tensor calculus, the Lie & covariant derivatives.

Lectures 11-12 (pdf): Geodesics, metric tensor and metric connection. Riemann and Einstein tensors. Physical principles behind GR.

Lectures 13-14.5 (pdf): Finish physical principles, Schwarzschild geometry and metric.

Lectures 14.5-15 (pdf): Tests of GR using Schwarschild geometry - advance in the Perihelion of Mercury.

Lectures 16-18 (pdf): Continuation of Perihelion of Mercury, gravitational lensing, time in the Schwarschild geometry, Newtonian limit, geodesics near black holes, Eddington-Finkelstein coordinates.

Lectures 19-20.5 (pdf): Black holes don't suck, spectral shift, energy-momentum tensor.

Lectures 20.5-23 (pdf): Finish energy-momentum tensor, Full Field equations, Relativisitic cosmology, FLRW metric, null geodesics, Friedman equation, cosmological models, FIN