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PHYS 481 - SPECIAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY

Fall 2007

Phys481 : Special Theory of Relativity. A third year course.
Text book :
  • Relativity: Special, General and Cosmology by Wolfang Rindler. Second Edition.Oxford Universty Press.
    Other Books:
  • Spacetime Physics by E.F. Taylor and J. A. Wheeler, W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco.
  • Special Relativity by A. P. French, (The M.I.T Introductory Physics Series), Norton and Company, New York, 1968
    Content: In this period the first seven chapters of " Rindler " will be covered. See the "Course Syllabus" below
    Course Schedule:
  • Monday 08.40-10.30 , SAZ-20
  • Wednesday 10.40-12.30 , SAZ-20
    Exams:
  • (%30) Midterm Exam : October 24 (at the lecture hour)
  • (%40) Final Exam :
  • (%30) Projects :

    Subjects will be Covered

    Reading assignments
  • Introduction
  • Galilean Transformation
  • Newtonian Relativity
  • The ether and Micelson Morley Experiment
  • Origins of sepcial relativity
  • Einstein s postulates
  • Einstenins Equavalence principle and general relativity

    September 17
  • On the nature of physical theories
  • Basic features of special realtivity
  • Relativity of simultaneity , time dilation and length contraction
  • The relativity principle and homogeneity and isotropy of inetrtial frames
  • Derivation of Lorentz trasformations

    September 24
  • Properties of the Lorentz tranformations
  • Graphical representation of the Lorentz transformations
  • The relativistic speed limit

    October 1
  • Relativistic Kinematics
  • World Line picture and world-map
  • Paradoxes

    October 8
  • Veloctity transformation
  • Acceleration Transformation
  • Rigid motion

    October 15
  • Relativistic Optics
  • the Drag effect
  • The Doppler effect
  • Aberration

    October 22
  • Spacetime and Four vectors
  • Minkowski Space
  • The light cone and intervals
  • Three-vectors, four-vectors
  • The geomtery of four-vectors

    October 29
  • Relativistic particle mechanics
  • Domain of validity
  • The axioms of new mechanics
  • The equivalence of energy and mass
  • Four momentum identities, the zero momentum frame

    November 5
  • Light quanta and de Broglie waves
  • The Compton Effect
  • Four-force and three-force

    November 12
  • Four Tensors; Electromagnetism in Vacuum
  • Tensors
  • Maxwell s equations in tensor form

    November 19
  • The four potential
  • Transformation of E and B; The dual filed
  • The field of uniformly moving point charge

    November 26
  • The filed of an infinite straight current
  • The energy tensor of the electromagnetic filed
  • From the mechanics of the filed to the mechanics of the material continua

    December 3
  • Review

    Course Syllabus

    1. Sept.17. Galilean Transformation, Newtonian relativity.
    2. Sept.24. Origins of special relativity and Einstein s Postulates.
    3. Oct.01. Basic features of specila relativity
    4. Oct.8. Properties of Lorentz trasformations
    5. Oct.15. Relativistic Kinematics
    6. Oct.22. Velocity and acceleration transformations
    7. Oct.29. Relativistic optics
    8. Nov.5. Minkowski Space
    9. Nov.12 Relativistic particle physics.
    10. Nov.19. de Broglie waves and Compton effect.
    11. Nov.26. Electromagnetism in vacua.
    12. Dec.3. Transformation of E and B.
    13. Dec.10 Energy momentum tensor
    14. Dec.17 Review
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    Last update June 22, 2007


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