Course: Introduction to General Relativity

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Course title Introduction to General Relativity
Course code KEF/UOTR
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 2
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Richterek Lukáš, Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
ul> <li> Geometry and physics, theory of gravitation and its position in the physical picture of the world, historical development of opinions on gravitation, space and time, summary of main starting points and predictions of theory of relativity <li> Starting principle of general theory of relativity, Mach principle, principle of equivalence and its various formulations, Eötvös and Dicke experiments, principle of correspondence, principle of covariance, covariant notation of physical laws, gravitation as a curvature of spacetime. <li> Description of curved spacetime, coordinations, metrics, sign convention, local inertial systems, light cones, world lines, length, surface, volume, nesting diagram, vectors in the curved spacetime, equations of geodetic lines and integrals of motion (laws of conservation) <li> Geometry outside spherically symmetric stars, Schwartschild geometry, gravitational red shift, motion of test particles and photos (precession of perihelia of Mercury, diffraction of light in the gravitational field and delay of electromagnetic signals) <li> Experimental test in the Solar System, gravitational red shift, PPN parameters and their measurements <li> Relativistic phenomena in astrophysics, gravitational lenses, binary pulses, gravitational collapse and black holes, their observations in binary systems and in the centers of galaxies, Hawking evaporation of black holes <li> Gravitation around rotating objects, pulling of inertial systems, flywheels in curved spacetime and their precession, spacetime in the surrounding of rotating objects, Kerr geometry, motion in equatorial plane, ergosphere <li> Gravitational waves, linearized gravitational waves, detection of gravitational waves, energy and polarization of waves <li> Einstein equations, vectors, co-vectors, tensors, covariant differentiation, tidal forces, deviations of geodetic lines, tensor of torsion, law of conservation of energy and momentum, Einstein equations, Newton limit <li> Relativistic stars, Pauli principle, relativistic hydrostatic equilibrium, models of stars </ul>

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lecture
  • Attendace - 13 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
The aim is to discuss the the basic ideas of the theory of gravitation and its position in the physical picture of the world, a historical development of opinions on gravitation, space and time, and to give a basicsummary of main starting points and predictions of theory of relativity.
Knowledge Define the main ideas and conceptions of the subject, describe the main approaches of the studied topics, recall the theoretical knowledge for solution of model problems.
Prerequisites
Knowledge on the level of theoretical (classical) mechanics and special relativity.

Assessment methods and criteria
Student performance

Elaboration and handing in of all the homework tasks Report with a discussion on a selected topic
Recommended literature
  • d'Inverno Ray. (1992). Introducing Einstein's Relativity. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
  • Hartle, J.B. (2003). Gravity: An introduction to Einstein's general relativity. Addison Wesley, San Francisco.
  • Horský J., Novotný J., Štefaník M. (2001). Mechanika ve fyzice. Academia, Praha.
  • Lambourne R. (2010). Relativity, Gravitation and Cosmology. Cambridge.
  • Lightman A. P., Press W.H., Price R.H., Teukolsky S.A. (1975). Problem Book on Relativity and Gravitation. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey.
  • Moore, T. (2013). A General Relativity Workbook. University Science Books, Mill Valley, California.
  • Schutz B.F. (1985). A First Course in General Relativity. Cambridge Univ. Press.
  • Ullmann V. (1986). Gravitace, černé díry a fyzika prostoročasu. ČAS Ostrava.
  • Weinberg S. (1972). Gravitation and Cosmology. John Wiley & Sons, New York.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): General Physics and Mathematical Physics (2019) Category: Physics courses 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Winter