General relativity : the essentials / Carlo Rovelli.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rovelli, Carlo, 1956- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

General relativity (Physics).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 170 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2021.

Summary:

In this short book, renowned theoretical physicist and author Carlo Rovelli gives a straightforward introduction to Einstein's General Relativity, our current theory of gravitation. Focusing on conceptual clarity, he derives all the basic results in the simplest way, taking care to explain the physical, philosophical and mathematical ideas at the heart of "the most beautiful of all scientific theories". Some of the main applications of General Relativity are also explored, for example, black holes, gravitational waves and cosmology, and the book concludes with a brief introduction to quantum gravity. Written by an author well known for the clarity of his presentation of scientific ideas, this concise book will appeal to university students looking to improve their understanding of the principal concepts, as well as science-literate readers who are curious about the real theory of General Relativity, at a level beyond a popular science treatment.

Contents:

Cover

Half-title Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Preface

Part I Bases

What Is General Relativity?

1 Physics: A Field Theory for Gravity

1.1 Special Relativity

1.2 Fields

2 Philosophy: What Are Space and Time?

2.1 Relative versus Newtonian Space and Time

2.2 Einstein's Idea: Newtonian Space and Time Are a Physical Field

2.3 Einstein's Hint: Acceleration with Respect to What?

3 Mathematics: Curved Spaces

3.1 Curved Surfaces

3.2 Riemannian Geometry

3.3 Geometry

Part II The Theory

4 Basic Equations

4.1 Gravitational Field

4.2 Effects of Gravity

4.3 Field Equations

4.4 Source in the Field Equation

4.5 Vacuum Equations

5 Action

6 Symmetries and Interpretation

6.1 Time and Energy

Part III Applications

7 Newtonian Limit

7.1 The Metric in the Newtonian Limit

7.2 Newton's Force

7.3 General Relativistic Time Dilatation

8 Gravitational Waves

8.1 Effect on Matter

8.2 Production and Detection

9 Cosmology

9.1 The Large-Scale Geometry of the Universe

9.2 Basic Cosmological Models

10 The Field of a Mass

10.1 Schwarzschild Metric

10.2 The Kepler Problem

10.3 Deflection of Light by the Sun

10.4 Near Horizon Orbits

10.5 Cosmological Force

10.6 Kerr-Newman Metric and Frame Dragging

11 Black Holes

11.1 At the Horizon

11.2 Inside the Black Hole

11.3 White Holes

12 Elements of Quantum Gravity

12.1 Empirical and Theoretical Basis of Quantum Gravity

12.2 Discreteness: Quanta of Space

12.3 Superposition of Geometries

12.4 Transitions: Black-to-White-Hole Tunnelling and Big Bounce

12.5 Conclusion: The Disappearance of Spacetime

Further Reading

Index.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 19 Aug 2021).

ISBN:

1-009-03318-2

1-009-03180-5

OCLC:

1295273155