Vector Analysis and the Theory of Relativity (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Francis D. Murnaghan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0266315488 ISBN 13: 9780266315483

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Explore how geometry and gravity reshape space and time.

This classic text extends the discussion of relativity beyond special theory, guiding readers through the mathematics of a four‑dimensional space‑time and its physical implications.

Presented with clear problems and step‑by‑step reasoning, the book examines how observers in different coordinate systems relate to each other, and it develops the metrical structure of space around a gravitating center. Topics include the nature of geodesics, the paths of particles and light rays in a gravitational field, and fundamental ideas like the Einstein tensor and tensor resolution in curved spaces. The discussion also connects these ideas to practical concepts such as the bending of light and the perihelion advance of planets, using a consistent, problem‑driven approach.

• Learn how natural coordinate systems are defined for different observers and how they relate.
• Study the metrical space around a single gravitating center and the behavior of light and matter within it.
• See how tensors are resolved along and across coordinate directions, with concrete examples.
• Explore variational principles that lead to the equations of motion for geodesics and light paths.

Ideal for readers of relativity theory who want a rigorous, worked‑through treatment that stays close to the core concepts and computations.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0266315488
• ISBN 13: 9780266315483
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 137