SPECIAL RELATIVITY, TENSORS, AND ENERGY TENSOR: WITH WORKED PROBLEMS - Hardcover

Somnath Datta

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 9811228116 ISBN 13: 9789811228117

Publisher: World Scientific Publishing, 2021

Synopsis

This book takes the reader from the preliminary ideas of the Special Theory of Relativity (STR) to the doorsteps of the General Theory of Relativity (GTR). The first part explains the main concepts in a layman's language, including STR, the Lorentz transformation, relativistic mechanics. Thereafter the concept of tensors is built up in detail, especially Maxwell's stress tensor with illustrative examples, culminating in the energy-momentum conservation in electromagnetic fields. Mathematical structure of Minkowski's space-time is constructed and explained graphically. The equation of motion is formulated and then illustrated by the example of relativistic rocket. The principle of covariance is explained with the covariant equations of classical electrodynamics. Finally, the book constructs the energy tensor which constitutes the source term in Einstein's field equation, which clears the passage to the GTR. In the book, the concepts of tensors are developed carefully and a large number of numerical examples taken from atomic and nuclear physics. The graphs of important equations are included. This is suitable for studies in classical electrodynamics, modern physics, and relativity.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This book takes the reader from the preliminary ideas of the Special Theory of Relativity (STR) to the doorsteps of the General Theory of Relativity (GTR).

The first part explains the main concepts in a layman's language, including STR, the Lorentz transformation, relativistic mechanics. Thereafter the concept of tensors is built up in detail, especially Maxwell's stress tensor with illustrative examples, culminating in the energy-momentum conservation in electromagnetic fields. Mathematical structure of Minkowski's space-time is constructed and explained graphically. The equation of motion is formulated and then illustrated by the example of relativistic rocket. The principle of covariance is explained with the covariant equations of classical electrodynamics. Finally, the book constructs the energy tensor which constitutes the source term in Einstein's field equation, which clears the passage to the GTR.

In the book, the concepts of tensors are developed carefully and a large number of numerical examples taken from atomic and nuclear physics. The graphs of important equations are included. This is suitable for studies in classical electrodynamics, modern physics, and relativity.

Edition details

• Publisher: World Scientific Publishing
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9811228116
• ISBN 13: 9789811228117
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 350