Gravity

The texts layered structure allows the text to be used for a range of courses depending on the length and level of the course. Only the absolutely essential mathematical concepts are introduced and these, only when needed. Writing is concise and accessible with and emphasis on the phenomena of gravitational physics. The text uses a "physics first" approach, which gives examples firsts before derivations.

• Examples come first, derivations later. In this "physics first" approach, relevant simple solutions of the Einstein equation are presented first, before introducing the field equations of general relativity and their supporting mathematics. This brings the student to the physical phenomena as quickly as possible.
• The emphasis is on the phenomena of gravitational physics and the growing connection between theory and observation. Global positioning system, black holes, X-ray sources, pulsars, quasars, gravitational waves, the big bang, and the large scale structure of the universe, for example, are used to illustrate the widespread role of how general relativity describes a wealth of everyday and exotic phenomena.
• Only the simplest examples are presented in an effort to keep the presentation concise and accessible: for instance, Schwarzschild black hole, spherical stars, weak gravitational waves in flat spacetime.
• New mathematics is kept to a minimum. Only absolutely essential new mathematical concepts are introduced and these, only when needed.
• The texts layered structure allows the text to be used for a range of courses depending on the length and level of the course - from junior level to introductory graduate level in physics and astronomy. After just the first few chapters, a student will take away a broad introduction to some of the basic phenomena of gravitational physics, and not just mathematical tools.
• Illustrative boxes are interspersed throughout providing students with applications, experiments, ideas, examples, and interesting sidelights that extend and complement concepts presented in the basic text without interrupting its flow.

Contents

• Gravitational Physics
• Geometry as Physics
• Space, Time, and Gravity in Newtonian Physics
• Principles of Special Relativity
• Special Relativistic Mechanics

• Gravity as Geometry
• The Description of Curved Spacetime
• Geodesics
• The Geometry Outside a Spherical Star
• Solar System Tests of General Relativity
• Relativistic Gravity in Action
• Gravitational Collapse and Black Holes
• Astrophysical Black Holes
• A Little Rotation
• Rotating Black Holes
• Gravitational Waves
• The Universe Observed
• Cosmological Models
• Which Universe and Why ?

• A Little More Math
• Curvature and the Einstein Equation
• The Source of Curvature
• Gravitational Wave Emission
• Relativistic Stars

• A. Units
• B. Curvature Quantities
• C. Curvature and the Einstein Equation
• D. Pedagogical Strategy