Relativity in Modern Physics

by Nathalie Deruelle, Jean-Philippe Uzan, Patricia de Forcrand-Millard

Overview

This comprehensive textbook on relativity integrates Newtonian physics, special relativity and general relativity into a single book that emphasizes the deep underlying principles common to them all, yet explains how they are applied in different ways in these three contexts.

Newton's ideas about how to represent space and time, his laws of dynamics, and his theory of gravitation established the conceptual foundation from which modern physics developed. Book I in this volume offers undergraduates a modern view of Newtonian theory, emphasizing those aspects needed for understanding quantum and relativistic contemporary physics.

In 1905, Albert Einstein proposed a novel representation of space and time, special relativity. Book II presents relativistic dynamics in inertial and accelerated frames, as well as a detailed overview of Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism. This provides undergraduate and graduate students with the background necessary for studying particle and accelerator physics, astrophysics and Einstein's theory of general relativity.

In 1915, Einstein proposed a new theory of gravitation, general relativity. Book III in this volume develops the geometrical framework in which Einstein's equations are formulated, and presents several key applications: black holes, gravitational radiation, and cosmology, which will prepare graduate students to carry out research in relativistic astrophysics, gravitational wave astronomy, and cosmology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198786399
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	10/30/2018
Series:	Oxford Graduate Texts
Pages:	704
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 6.80(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Nathalie Deruelle, Director of research, CNRS, Laboratory "Astroparticle and Cosmology" (APC) at the University Paris 7.,Jean-Philippe Uzan, Director of Research, CNRS, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris

Nathalie Deruelle is a researcher in Theoretical Physics and Director Research at the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) in France. She is based at Laboratoire Astroparticules & Cosmologie (APC) at Universite Paris VII (Denis-Diderot) and is affiliated professor at the Kyoto Yukawa Institute. Deruelle has lectured at numerous summer schools and universities, including the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole Normale Superieure.

Jean-Philippe Uzan is a researcher in Theoretical Physics and Director of Research at the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) in France. He is currently member of the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (IAP) at Universite Paris VI (Sorbonne Universite). Uzan has taught at several Paris universities, including the Ecole Normale Superieure, and has published specialized and popular books in physics and cosmology.

Table of Contents

Book 1. SPACE, TIME, AND GRAVITY IN NEWTON'S THEORYPart I KINEMATICS1. Cartesian coordinates2. Vector geometry3. Curvilinear coordinates4. Differential geometryPart II DYNAMICS5. Equations of motion6. Dynamics of massive systems7. Conservation laws8. Lagrangian mechanics9. Hamiltonian mechanics10. Kinetic theoryPart III: GRAVITATION11. The law of gravitation12. The Kepler problem13. The N-body problem14. Deformations of celestial bodies15. Self-gravitating fluids16. Newtonian cosmology17. Light in Newtonian theoryBOOK 2: SPECIAL RELATIVITY AND MAXWELL'S THEORYPART I KINEMATICS1. Minkowski spacetime2. The kinematics of a point particle3. The kinematics of light4. The wave vector of light5. Accelerated framesPART II DYNAMICS5. Dynamics of a point particle6. Dynamics of a point particle7. Rotating systems8. Fields and matter9. The classical scalar field10. The Nordstrom theoryPART III ELECTROMAGNETISM11. The Lorentz force12. The Maxwell equations13. Constant fields14. The free field15. Electromagnetic waves16. Waves in a mediumPART IV ELECTRODYNAMICS17. The field of a moving charge18. Radiation by a charge19. The radiation reaction force20. Interacting charges I21. Interacting charges II22. Electromagnetism and differential geometryBOOK 3. GENERAL RELATIVITY AND GRAVITATIONPART I CURVED SPACETIME AND GRAVITATION1. The equivalence principle2. Riemannian manifolds3. Matter in curved spacetime4. The Einstein equations5. Conservation lawsPART II THE SCHWARZSCHILD SOLUTION AND BLACK HOLES6. The Schwarzschild solution7. The Schwarzschild black hole8. The Kerr solution9. The physics of black holes I10. The physics of black holes IIPART III GENERAL RELATIVITY AND EXPERIMENT11. Tests in the solar system12. The post-Newtonian approximation13. Gravitational waves and the radiative field14. Gravitational radiation15. The two-body problem and radiative losses16. The two-body problem: an effective-one-body approachPART IV FRIEDMANN-LEMAITRE SOLUTIONS AND COSMOLOGY17. Cosmological spacetimes18. Friedmann-Lemaitre spacetimes19. The Lambda-CDM model of the hot Big Bang20. Inflationary models of the primordial universe21. Cosmological perturbations22. Primordial quantum perturbationsPART V ELEMENTS OF RIEMANNIAN GEOMETRY23. The covariant derivative and the curvature24. Reimannian manifolds25. The Cartan structure equations

Editorial Reviews

"A very rich book: All notions like relativity, space and time are carefully explained, their history is mentioned by giving plenty of footnotes. The mathematical side, the experimental side, and the view of the theoretical physicist are presented adequately at the respective places." — Hans-Jürgen Schmidt, zbMath

"It brings together, in a coherent way, classical Newtonian physics, special relativity and general relativity, emphasising common underlying principles." — Virginia Greco, CERN Courier

From the Publisher