Covariant Physics

Description

A textbook for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students using the fundamental principle of covariance as a basis for studying classical mechanics, electrodynamics, the special theory of relativity, and the general theory of relativity, before moving on to more advanced topics of field theory, differential forms, and modified theories of gravity.

• Introductory text to the fundamental principle of covariance in physics
• Includes applications of tensor calculus in mechanics and electrodynamics, demonstrating that geometrical concepts usually introduced in relativity are actually present in more familiar topics
• Large collection of practice problems
• Includes topics in field theory, differential forms, and modified theories of gravity
• Readers will learn in this book is the foundational mathematical language of many modern branches of physics

About the Author(s)

Moataz H. Emam, Professor of Physics, State University of New York College at Cortland

Dr Moataz H. Emam is a professor of physics at the State University of New York College at Cortland. He holds a BS in civil engineering, a BS in physics, an MSc in high energy physics from Cairo University, as well as a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Dr Emam also serves periodically as Visiting/Adjunct Professor of Physics at the Zewail City for Science and Technology in Egypt. Teaching and research are Dr Emam's main passions. In his spare time, he maintains a popular science blog in Arabic.

Table of Contents

1:Coordinate Systems and Vectors
2:Tensors
3:Classical Covariance
4:Special Covariance
5:General Covariance
6:Physics in curved spacetime
7:Riemann and Einstein
8:Least action and classical fields
9:Differential forms
10:Generalizing general relativity

Reviews

"Introduces and progresses with the subject in ways that are very conducive to good learning and understanding, and fills a real (and currently unmet) need in an undergraduate's education in preparation for some of modern physics' most fascinating areas. " - S. Leslie Blatt, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts

"Stresses Einstein's legacy of using the symmetry principle to discover new physics, and introduces the relevant mathematics in a very gradual way. " - Ta-Pei Cheng, University of Missouri - St Louis