Introducing General Relativity

An accessible and engaging introduction to general relativity for undergraduates

In Introducing General Relativity, the authors deliver a structured introduction to the core concepts and applications of General Relativity. The book leads readers from the basic ideas of relativity—including the Equivalence Principle and curved space-time—to more advanced topics, like Solar System tests and gravitational wave detection.

Each chapter contains practice problems designed to engage undergraduate students of mechanics, electrodynamics, and special relativity. A wide range of classical and modern topics are covered in detail, from exploring observational successes and astrophysical implications to explaining many popular principles, like space-time, redshift, black holes, gravitational waves and cosmology. Advanced topic sections introduce the reader to more detailed mathematical approaches and complex ideas, and prepare them for the exploration of more specialized and sophisticated texts.

Introducing General Relativity also offers:

• Structured outlines to the concepts of General Relativity and a wide variety of its applications
• Comprehensive explorations of foundational ideas in General Relativity, including space-time curvature and tensor calculus
• Practical discussions of classical and modern topics in relativity, from space-time to redshift, gravity, black holes, and gravitational waves
• Optional, in-depth sections covering the mathematical approaches to more advanced ideas

Perfect for undergraduate physics students who have studied mechanics, dynamics, and Special Relativity, Introducing General Relativity is an essential resource for those seeking an intermediate level discussion of General Relativity placed between the more qualitative books and graduate-level textbooks.

Keywords: General Relativity, relativistic phenomena, intro to relativity, relativity introduction, Schwarzschild geometry, Friedmann equation, cosmology, space-time, redshift, gravity, black holes, dark matter, relativistic mathematics, relativity math, gravitational waves