Gravitation And Cosmology Principles And Applications Of The General Theory Of Relativity

· Preliminaries · The General Theory of Relativity · Applications of Feneral Relativity · Formal Developments · Cosmology

A leading physicist delves into relativity and experimental applications Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity offers a Nobel laureate's perspectives on the wealth of data technological developments have brought to expand upon Einstein's theory. Unique in basing relativity on the Principle of Equivalence of Gravitation and Inertia over Riemannian geometry, this book explores relativity experiments and observational cosmology to provide a sound foundation upon which analyses can be made. Covering special and general relativity, tensor analysis, gravitation, curvature, and more, this book provides an engaging, insightful introduction to the forces that shape the universe.

Weinberg's 1972 work, in his description, had two purposes. The first was practical to bring together and assess the wealth of data provided over the previous decade while realizing that newer data would come in even as the book was being printed. He hoped the comprehensive picture would prepare the reader and himself to that new data as it emerged. The second was to produce a textbook about general relativity in which geometric ideas were not given a starring role for (in his words) too great an emphasis on geometry can only obscure the deep connections between gravitation and the rest of physics.

Weinberg's 1972 work, in his description, had two purposes. The first was practical to bring together and assess the wealth of data provided over the previous decade while realizing that newer data would come in even as the book was being printed. He hoped the comprehensive picture would prepare the reader and himself to that new data as it emerged. The second was to produce a textbook about general relativity in which geometric ideas were not given a starring role for (in his words) too great an emphasis on geometry can only obscure the deep connections between gravitation and the rest of physics.

General relativity and quantum mechanics have become the two central pillars of theoretical physics. Moreover, general relativity has important applications in astrophysics and high-energy particle physics. Covering the fundamentals of the subject, Principles of Cosmology and Gravitation describes the universe as revealed by observations and presents a theoretical framework to enable important cosmological formulae to be derived and numerical calculations performed. Avoiding elaborate formal discussions, the book presents a practical approach that focuses on the general theory of relativity. It examines different evolutionary models and the gravitational effects of massive bodies. The book also includes a large number of worked examples and problems, half with solutions.

An introduction to Einstein's general theory of relativity, this work is structured so that interesting applications, such as gravitational lensing, black holes and cosmology, can be presented without the readers having to first learn the difficult mathematics of tensor calculus.

Introducing General Relativity An accessible and engaging introduction to general relativity for undergraduates In Introducing General Relativity, the authors deliver a structured introduction to the core concepts and applications of General Relativity. The book leads readers from the basic ideas of relativity—including the Equivalence Principle and curved space-time—to more advanced topics, like Solar System tests and gravitational wave detection. Each chapter contains practice problems designed to engage undergraduate students of mechanics, electrodynamics, and special relativity. A wide range of classical and modern topics are covered in detail, from exploring observational successes and astrophysical implications to explaining many popular principles, like space-time, redshift, black holes, gravitational waves and cosmology. Advanced topic sections introduce the reader to more detailed mathematical approaches and complex ideas, and prepare them for the exploration of more specialized and sophisticated texts. Introducing General Relativity also offers: Structured outlines to the concepts of General Relativity and a wide variety of its applications Comprehensive explorations of foundational ideas in General Relativity, including space-time curvature and tensor calculus Practical discussions of classical and modern topics in relativity, from space-time to redshift, gravity, black holes, and gravitational waves Optional, in-depth sections covering the mathematical approaches to more advanced ideas Perfect for undergraduate physics students who have studied mechanics, dynamics, and Special Relativity, Introducing General Relativity is an essential resource for those seeking an intermediate level discussion of General Relativity placed between the more qualitative books and graduate-level textbooks.

Cosmology is a field of astronomy that studies the origin and evolution of the universe. General theory of relativity, also called Einstein's theory of gravity, serves as the foundation for comprehending the history and large-scale structure of the universe. A number of significant predictions about the physical world such as the Big Bang origin of the universe, the existence of black holes, effect of gravity on clocks, and gravitational lensing are also based on general relativity theory. According to this theory, numerous astrophysical occurrences produce gravitational waves, which are ripples in the geometry of spacetime and these propagate at the speed of light. This theory provides a unified description of gravity as a geometric property of space and time, also known as the four-dimensional spacetime model. It also improves upon Newton's law of universal gravitation and generalizes special relativity. It serves as the foundation for the fields of relativistic astrophysics and cosmology. This book unfolds the principles and applications of the general theory relativity. It presents researches and studies performed by experts across the globe. The book will help the readers in keeping pace with the rapid changes in this field.