Building from foundations of modern science and cosmic evolution, as well as psychological and philosophical perspectives of value and meaning, this book explores some of humanity's biggest questions: * Is the Universe "about something"? * What might be roles for life and intelligence in cosmic evolution? * How might we think about value, meaning, purpose, and ethics in a cosmic evolutionary context? The author explores how the sciences of relativity and quantum theory, combined with cosmic evolution and philosophical traditions such as process philosophy, contribute to the development of a broad "relationalist framework". That framework helps inform perspectives such as "scientific minimalism" and "cosmological theories of value". Cosmological Reverence, Cosmocultural Evolution, and the Connection-Action Principle are explored as examples of cosmological theories of value, all of which help inform how we might think about ethics, value, and meaning in a cosmic context - including application to the search for extraterrestrial life and the future of intelligence in the universe. This book will benefit a diverse range of practitioners in philosophy, science, and policy, including interdisciplinary fields such as Science and Society and cultural evolution studies. From the Foreword: "This volume ranges from the sciences of cosmic evolution, relativity, and quantum mechanics, to value theory and process philosophy, all with the goal of exploring how they relate to humanity in the sense of worldviews and meaning. With his three cosmological theories of value, Lupisella goes beyond the bounds of most books on naturalism, and into fundamental questions about the nature of the universe and our relation to it. To read Lupisella is to have a mind-boggling experience, to want to race to references, to want to know more." Steven J. Dick Former Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/ Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology Former NASA Chief Historian

The quantum and relativity theories of physics are considered to underpin all of science in an absolute sense. This monograph argues against this proposition primarily on the basis of the two theories' incompatibility and of some untenable philosophical implications of the quantum model. Elementary matter is assumed in both theories to occur as zero-dimensional point particles. In relativity theory this requires the space-like region of the underlying Minkowski space-time to be rejected as unphysical, despite its precise mathematical characterization. In quantum theory it leads to an incomprehensible interpretation of the wave nature of matter in terms of a probability function and the equally obscure concept of wave-particle duality. The most worrisome aspect about quantum mechanics as a theory of chemistry is its total inability, despite unsubstantiated claims to the contrary, to account for the fundamental concepts of electron spin, molecular structure, and the periodic table of the elements. A remedy of all these defects by reformulation of both theories as nonlinear wave models in four-dimensional space-time is described.

This thesis provides a comprehensive view of the physics of charmed hadrons in high-energy proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions. Given their large masses, charm quarks are produced in the early stage of a heavy-ion collision and they subsequently experience the full system evolution probing the colour-deconfined medium called quark-gluon plasma (QGP) created in such collisions. In this thesis, the mechanisms of charm-quark in-medium energy loss and hadronisation are discussed via the measurements of the production of charm mesons with (Ds+) and without (D+) strange-quark content in different colliding systems, using data collected by the ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC. The participation of the charm quark and its possible thermalisation in the QGP are studied via measurements of azimuthal anisotropies in the production of D+ mesons. Finally, the prospects for future measurements with the upgraded ALICE experimental apparatus and with more refined machine learning techniques are presented.

Special relativity is the basis of many fields in modern physics: particle physics, quantum field theory, high-energy astrophysics, etc. This theory is presented here by adopting a four-dimensional point of view from the start. An outstanding feature of the book is that it doesn't restrict itself to inertial frames but considers accelerated and rotating observers. It is thus possible to treat physical effects such as the Thomas precession or the Sagnac effect in a simple yet precise manner. In the final chapters, more advanced topics like tensorial fields in spacetime, exterior calculus and relativistic hydrodynamics are addressed. In the last, brief chapter the author gives a preview of gravity and shows where it becomes incompatible with Minkowsky spacetime. Well illustrated and enriched by many historical notes, this book also presents many applications of special relativity, ranging from particle physics (accelerators, particle collisions, quark-gluon plasma) to astrophysics (relativistic jets, active galactic nuclei), and including practical applications (Sagnac gyrometers, synchrotron radiation, GPS). In addition, the book provides some mathematical developments, such as the detailed analysis of the Lorentz group and its Lie algebra. The book is suitable for students in the third year of a physics degree or on a masters course, as well as researchers and any reader interested in relativity. Thanks to the geometric approach adopted, this book should also be beneficial for the study of general relativity. "A modern presentation of special relativity must put forward its essential structures, before illustrating them using concrete applications to specific dynamical problems. Such is the challenge (so successfully met!) of the beautiful book by Eric Gourgoulhon." (excerpt from the Foreword by Thibault Damour)

This book presents a powerful way to study Einstein's special theory of relativity and its underlying hyperbolic geometry in which analogies with classical results form the right tool. The premise of analogy as a study strategy is to make the unfamiliar familiar. Accordingly, this book introduces the notion of vectors into analytic hyperbolic geometry, where they are called gyrovectors. Gyrovectors turn out to be equivalence classes that add according to the gyroparallelogram law just as vectors are equivalence classes that add according to the parallelogram law. In the gyrolanguage of this book, accordingly, one prefixes a gyro to a classical term to mean the analogous term in hyperbolic geometry. As an example, the relativistic gyrotrigonometry of Einstein's special relativity is developed and employed to the study of the stellar aberration phenomenon in astronomy.Furthermore, the book presents, for the first time, the relativistic center of mass of an isolated system of noninteracting particles that coincided at some initial time t = 0. It turns out that the invariant mass of the relativistic center of mass of an expanding system (like galaxies) exceeds the sum of the masses of its constituent particles. This excess of mass suggests a viable mechanism for the formation of dark matter in the universe, which has not been detected but is needed to gravitationally 'glue' each galaxy in the universe. The discovery of the relativistic center of mass in this book thus demonstrates once again the usefulness of the study of Einstein's special theory of relativity in terms of its underlying hyperbolic geometry.

This book provides a chronological introduction to the science of motion and rest based on the reading and analysis of significant portions of Galileo's Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences, Pascal's Treatise on the Equilibrium of Fluids and the Weight of the Mass of Air, Newton's Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, and Einstein's Relativity. Each chapter begins with a short introduction followed by a reading selection. Carefully crafted study questions draw out key points in the text and focus the reader's attention on the author's methods, analysis, and conclusions. Numerical and laboratory exercises at the end of each chapter test the reader's ability to understand and apply key concepts from the text. Space, Time and Motion is the second of four volumes in A Student's Guide through the Great Physics Texts. This book grew out of a four-semester undergraduate physics curriculum designed to encourage a critical and circumspect approach to natural science, while at the same time preparing students for advanced coursework in physics. This book is particularly suitable as a college-level textbook for students of the natural sciences, history or philosophy. It also serves as a textbook for advanced high-school students, or as a thematically-organized source-book for scholars and motivated lay-readers. In studying the classic scientific texts included herein, the reader will be drawn toward a lifetime of contemplation.

This book introduces the general theory of relativity and includes applications to cosmology. The book provides a thorough introduction to tensor calculus and curved manifolds. After the necessary mathematical tools are introduced, the authors offer a thorough presentation of the theory of relativity. Also included are some advanced topics not previously covered by textbooks, including Kaluza-Klein theory, Israel's formalism and branes. Anisotropic cosmological models are also included. The book contains a large number of new exercises and examples, each with separate headings. The reader will benefit from an updated introduction to general relativity including the most recent developments in cosmology.

Gravity waves exist in all types of geophysical fluids, such as lakes, oceans, and atmospheres. They play an important role in redistributing energy at disturbances, such as mountains or seamounts and they are routinely studied in meteorology and oceanography, particularly simulation models, atmospheric weather models, turbulence, air pollution, and climate research. An Introduction to Atmospheric Gravity Waves provides readers with a working background of the fundamental physics and mathematics of gravity waves, and introduces a wide variety of applications and numerous recent advances. Nappo provides a concise volume on gravity waves with a lucid discussion of current observational techniques and instrumentation.An accompanyingwebsite contains real data, computer codes for data analysis, and linear gravity wave models to further enhance the reader's understanding of the book's material.
Companion web site features animations and streaming video Foreword by George Chimonas, a renowned expert on the interactions of gravity waves with turbulenceIncludes a new application-based component for use in climate and weather predictions
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The Mathematical Principles of Scale Relativity Physics: The Concept of Interpretation explores and builds upon the principles of Laurent Nottale's scale relativity. The authors address a variety of problems encountered by researchers studying the dynamics of physical systems. It explores Madelung fluid from a wave mechanics point of view, showing that confinement and asymptotic freedom are the fundamental laws of modern natural philosophy. It then probes Nottale's scale transition description, offering a sound mathematical principle based on continuous group theory. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the matter to the reader via a generalization of relativity, a theory of colors, and classical electrodynamics. Key Features: Develops the concept of scale relativity interpreted according to its initial definition enticed by the birth of wave and quantum mechanics Provides the fundamental equations necessary for interpretation of matter, describing the ensembles of free particles according to the concepts of confinement and asymptotic freedom Establishes a natural connection between the Newtonian forces and the Planck's law from the point of view of space and time scale transition: both are expressions of invariance to scale transition The work will be of great interest to graduate students, doctoral candidates, and academic researchers working in mathematics and physics.

In this book, all physical laws are derived from a small number of invariant integrals which express the conservation of energy, mass, or momentum. This new approach allows us to unify the laws of theoretical physics, to simplify their derivation, and to discover some novel or more universal laws. Newton's Law of gravity is generalized to take into account cosmic forces of repulsion, Archimedes' principle of buoyancy is modified for account of the surface tension, and Coulomb's Laws for rolling friction and for the interaction of electric charges are substantially repaired and generalized. For postgraduate students, lecturers and researchers.

Iconoclastic physics professor and artist Andrzej Dragan presents a unique feast of knowledge on special relativity in a straightforward, progressive manner that even a savvy high school student could follow. Encompassing the derivation of Lorentz transformations to Wigner rotations and Thomas precession; from non-inertial accelerated reference frames to event horizons, curved spacetime, and static black holes; and from the Doppler effect to relativistic structure of electromagnetism, Dragan peels back the enigmatic layers of modern physics to enable a deeper understanding of Einstein's groundbreaking theory.Comprehensive and elegantly written, full of insightful apparent paradoxes and riddles, but without any complicated math, Dragan's unique overview takes the reader well beyond the orthodox verses of standard Special Relativity to the bleeding edge of 'new-fangled' superluminal apocrypha and their relation to Quantum Theory. The book is based on a course on Special Relativity and acclaimed by students taught by Dragan who is a leader of a research group on Relativistic Quantum Information theory at the University of Warsaw and the National University of Singapore.Scan the QR code to access the author's collection of Youtube videos that explain the fundamental concepts of physics described in Unusually Special Relativity.

With contributions by leading theoreticians, this book presents the discoveries of hitherto hidden connections between seemingly unrelated fields of fundamental physics. The topics range from cosmology and astrophysics to nuclear-, particle- and heavy-ion science. A current example concerns the sensitivity of gravitational wave spectra to the phase structure of dense nuclear and quark matter in binary neutron star collisions. The contributions by Hanauske and Stoecker as well as Banik and Bandyopadhyay relate the consequent insights to hot dense nuclear matter created in supernova explosions and in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Studies of the equation of state for neutron stars are also presented, as are those for nuclear matter in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Other reviews focus on QCD-thermodynamics, charmed mesons in the quark-gluon plasma, nuclear theory, extensions to the standard general theory of relativity, new experimental developments in heavy ion collisions and renewable energy networks. The book will appeal to advanced students and researchers seeking a broad view of current challenges in theoretical physics and their interconnections.

Over the course of the last century it has become clear that both elementary particle physics and relativity theories are based on the notion of symmetries. These symmetries become manifest in that the "laws of nature" are invariant under spacetime transformations and/or gauge transformations. The consequences of these symmetries were analyzed as early as in 1918 by Emmy Noether on the level of action functionals. Her work did not receive due recognition for nearly half a century, but can today be understood as a recurring theme in classical mechanics, electrodynamics and special relativity, Yang-Mills type quantum field theories, and in general relativity. As a matter of fact, as shown in this monograph, many aspects of physics can be derived solely from symmetry considerations. This substantiates the statement of E.P. Wigner ..". if we knew all the laws of nature, or the ultimate Law of nature, the invariance properties of these laws would not furnish us new information." Thanks to Wigner we now also understand the implications of quantum physics and symmetry considerations: Poincare invariance dictates both the characteristic properties of particles (mass, spin, ...) and the wave equations of spin 0, 1/2, 1, ... objects. Further, the work of C.N. Yang and R. Mills reveals the consequences of internal symmetries as exemplified in the symmetry group of elementary particle physics. Given this pivotal role of symmetries it is thus not surprising that current research in fundamental physics is to a great degree motivated and inspired by considerations of symmetry. The treatment of symmetries in this monograph ranges from classical physics to now well-established theories of fundamental interactions, to the latest research on unified theories and quantum gravity.

This book contains a systematic exposition of the theory of spinors in finite-dimensional Euclidean and Riemannian spaces. The applications of spinors in field theory and relativistic mechanics of continuous media are considered. The main mathematical part is connected with the study of invariant algebraic and geometric relations between spinors and tensors. The theory of spinors and the methods of the tensor representation of spinors and spinor equations are thoroughly expounded in four-dimensional and three-dimensional spaces. Very useful and important relations are derived that express the derivatives of the spinor fields in terms of the derivatives of various tensor fields. The problems associated with an invariant description of spinors as objects that do not depend on the choice of a coordinate system are addressed in detail. As an application, the author considers an invariant tensor formulation of certain classes of differential spinor equations containing, in particular, the most important spinor equations of field theory and quantum mechanics. Exact solutions of the Einstein-Dirac equations, nonlinear Heisenberg's spinor equations, and equations for relativistic spin fluids are given. The book presents a large body of factual material and is suited for use as a handbook. It is intended for specialists in theoretical physics, as well as for students and post-graduate students of physical and mathematical specialties.

Assuming basic knowledge of special and general relativity, this book guides the reader to problems under consideration in modern research, concerning black holes, wormholes, cosmology, and extra dimensions. Its first part is devoted to local strong field configurations (black holes and wormholes) in general relativity and its most relevant extensions: scalar-tensor, f(R), and multidimensional theories. The second part discusses cosmology, including inflation and problems of a unified description of the whole evolution of the universe. The third part concerns multidimensional theories of gravity and contains a number of original results obtained by the authors. Expository work is conducted for a mechanism of symmetries and fundamental constants formation. The original approach to nonlinear multidimensional gravity that is able to construct a unique perspective describing different phenomena is highlighted.Much of the content was previously presented only in journal publications and is new for book contents, e.g., on regular black holes, various scalar field solutions, wormholes and their stability, inflation, clusters of primordial black holes, and multidimensional gravity. The last two topics are added in this new edition of the book. The other chapters are also updated to include new discoveries like the detection of gravitational waves.

This book is a treatise on time and on background independence in physics. It first considers how time is conceived of in each accepted paradigm of physics: Newtonian, special relativity, quantum mechanics (QM) and general relativity (GR). Substantial differences are moreover uncovered between what is meant by time in QM and in GR. These differences jointly source the Problem of Time: Nine interlinked facets which arise upon attempting concurrent treatment of the QM and GR paradigms, as is required in particular for a background independent theory of quantum gravity. A sizeable proportion of current quantum gravity programs - e.g. geometrodynamical and loop quantum gravity approaches to quantum GR, quantum cosmology, supergravity and M-theory - are background independent in this sense. This book's foundational topic is thus furthermore of practical relevance in the ongoing development of quantum gravity programs. This book shows moreover that eight of the nine facets of the Problem of Time already occur upon entertaining background independence in classical (rather than quantum) physics. By this development, and interpreting shape theory as modelling background independence, this book further establishes background independence as a field of study. Background independent mechanics, as well as minisuperspace (spatially homogeneous) models of GR and perturbations thereabout are used to illustrate these points. As hitherto formulated, the different facets of the Problem of Time greatly interfere with each others' attempted resolutions. This book explains how, none the less, a local resolution of the Problem of Time can be arrived at after various reconceptualizations of the facets and reformulations of their mathematical implementation. Self-contained appendices on mathematical methods for basic and foundational quantum gravity are included. Finally, this book outlines how supergravity is refreshingly different from GR as a realization of background independence, and what background independence entails at the topological level and beyond.

This book provides a chronological introduction to the sciences of astronomy and cosmology based on the reading and analysis of significant selections from classic texts, such as Ptolemy s "The Almagest," Kepler s "Epitome of Copernican Astronomy," Shapley s "Galaxies" and Lemaitre s "The Primeval Atom."

Each chapter begins with a short introduction followed by a reading selection. Carefully crafted study questions draw out key points in the text and focus the reader s attention on the author s methods, analysis, and conclusions. Numerical and observational exercises at the end of each chapter test the reader s ability to understand and apply key concepts from the text.

"The Heavens and the Earth" is the first of four volumes in "A Student s Guide Through the Great Physics Texts." This book grew out of a four-semester undergraduate physics curriculum designed to encourage a critical and circumspect approach to natural science, while at the same time preparing students for advanced coursework in physics.

This book is particularly suitable as a college-level textbook for students of the natural sciences, history or philosophy. It also serves as a textbook for advanced high-school students, or as a thematically-organized source-book for scholars and motivated lay-readers. In studying the classic scientific texts included herein, the reader will be drawn toward a lifetime of contemplation."

Proceedings from the 2012 Fourth International Meeting on Gravitation and Cosmology, focusing on accelerated cosmic expansion

This volume provides both an update and a review of the state of alternative theories of gravity in connection with the accelerated expansion of the universe issue. Different theoretical proposals exist to explain the acceleration in the cosmic expansion, generating the dark energy issue and opening the possibility to theories of gravity alternative to general relativity. Related issues such as the dark matter problem are also surveyed in order to give the readers profound insight on the subject from different points of view. Comprised of short talks and plenary lectures given by leading experts in the field, some of them with brilliant and historic contributions, the book allows the reader to find readable and referenced surveys in topics like f(R) theories, the dark matter and dark energy issues, Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) scenarios, f(T) theories, scalar-tensor theories derived from non-Riemannian geometries, emergent universes, the cosmological constant and other topics of current interest for younger and senior physicists and graduate students.

These proceedings are from the Fourth International Meeting on Gravitation and Cosmology, held in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, from 20 - 25 May, 2012, was sponsored by ICTP- Trieste, Italy and COECyTJAL-Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico. This event is a series of scientific meetings started in 2004 in Cuba, focusing on current and selected topics in the fields of gravitation and cosmology."

This self-contained monograph provides a mathematically simple and physically meaningful model which unifies gravity, electromagnetism, optics and even some quantum behavior. The simplicity of the model is achieved by working in the frame of an inertial observer and by using a physically meaningful least action principle. The authors introduce an extension of the Principle of Inertia. This gives rise to a simple, physically meaningful action function. Visualizations of the geometryare obtained by plotting the action function. These visualizations may be used to compare the geometries of different types of fields. Moreover, a new understanding of the energy-momentum of a field emerges. The relativistic dynamics derived here properly describes motion of massive and massless objects under the influence of a gravitational and/or an electromagnetic field, and under the influence of isotropic media. The reader will learn how to compute the precession of Mercury, the deflection of light, and the Shapiro time delay. Also covered is the relativistic motion of binary stars, including the generation of gravitational waves, a derivation of Snell's Law and a relativistic description of spin. We derive a complex-valued prepotential of an electromagnetic field. The prepotential is similar to the wave function in quantum mechanics. The mathematics is accessible to students after standard courses in multivariable calculus and linear algebra. For those unfamiliar with tensors and the calculus of variations, these topics are developed rigorously in the opening chapters. The unifying model presented here should prove useful to upper undergraduate and graduate students, as well as to seasoned researchers.

This book presents a direct measurement of quantum back action, or radiation pressure noise, on a macroscopic object at room temperature across a broad bandwidth in the audio range. This noise source was predicted to be a limitation for gravitational wave interferometers in the 1980s, but it has evaded direct characterization in the gravitational wave community due to the inherent difficult of reducing thermal fluctuations below the quantum back action level. This back action noise is a potential limitation in Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo, and Cripe's experiment has provided a platform for the demonstration of quantum measurement techniques that will allow quantum radiation pressure noise to be reduced in these detectors. The experimental techniques Cripe developed for this purpose are also applicable to any continuous measurement operating near the quantum limit, and could lead to the possibility of observing non-classical behavior of macroscopic objects.

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.

Beginning with an overview of the theory of black holes by the editor, this book presents a collection of ten chapters by leading physicists dealing with the variety of quantum mechanical and quantum gravitational effects pertinent to black holes. The contributions address topics such as Hawking radiation, the thermodynamics of black holes, the information paradox and firewalls, Monsters, primordial black holes, self-gravitating Bose-Einstein condensates, the formation of small black holes in high energetic collisions of particles, minimal length effects in black holes and small black holes at the Large Hadron Collider. Viewed as a whole the collection provides stimulating reading for researchers and graduate students seeking a summary of the quantum features of black holes.

The different possible singularities are defined and the mathematical methods needed to extend the space-time are described in detail in this book. Results obtained (many appearing here for the first time) show that singularities are associated with a lack of smoothness in the Riemann tensor.

Gravity, a Geometrical Course presents general relativity (GR) in a systematic and exhaustive way, covering three aspects that are homogenized into a single texture: i) the mathematical, geometrical foundations, exposed in a self consistent contemporary formalism, ii) the main physical, astrophysical and cosmological applications, updated to the issues of contemporary research and observations, with glimpses on supergravity and superstring theory, iii) the historical development of scientific ideas underlying both the birth of general relativity and its subsequent evolution. The book, divided in two volumes, is a rich resource for graduate students and those who wish to gain a deep knowledge of the subject without an instructor.

Volume One is dedicated to the development of the theory and basic physical applications. It guides the reader from the foundation of special relativity to Einstein field equations, illustrating some basic applications in astrophysics. A detailed account of the historical and conceptual development of the theory is combined with the presentation of its mathematical foundations. Differentiable manifolds, fibre-bundles, differential forms, and the theory of connections are covered, with a sketchy introduction to homology and cohomology. (Pseudo)-Riemannian geometry is presented both in the metric and in the vielbein approach. Physical applications include the motions in a Schwarzschild field leading to the classical tests of GR (light-ray bending and periastron advance) discussion of relativistic stellar equilibrium, white dwarfs, Chandrasekhar mass limit and polytropes. An entire chapter is devoted to tests of GR and to the indirect evidence of gravitational wave emission. The formal structure of gravitational theory is at all stages compared with that of non gravitational gauge theories, as a preparation to its modern extension, namely supergravity, discussed in the second volume.

Pietro Fre is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Torino, Italy and is currently serving as Scientific Counsellor of the Italian Embassy in Moscow. His scientific passion lies in supergravity and all allied topics, since the inception of the field, in 1976. He was professor at SISSA, worked in the USA and at CERN. He has taught General Relativity for 15 years. He has previously two scientific monographs, Supergravity and Superstrings and The N=2 Wonderland, He is also the author of a popular science book on cosmology and two novels, in Italian."

Teaching Einstein s general relativity at introductory level poses problems because students cannot begin to appreciate the basics of the theory unless they learn a sufficient amount of Riemannian geometry. Most elementary books take the easy course of telling the students a few working rules stripping the mathematical details to a minimum while the advanced books take the mathematical background for granted. Students eager to study Einstein s theory at a deeper level are forced to learn the mathematical background on their own and they feel lost because pure mathematical texts on geometry are too abstract and formal.

The present book solves this pedagogical problem in a unique way by dividing the book into three parts. Essential concepts of Riemannian geometry are introduced in Part I (four chapters) through Gauss work on curvature of surfaces using only ordinary calculus. A first acquaintance with Einstein s theory can then be made. Only after this first brush with both physics and mathematics of relativity, a proper, detailed mathematical background is developed in the next six chapters in Part II. The third part then recaptures all the basic concepts of general relativity and leaves the student with a sound preparation for learning advanced topics.

My aim has been that after learning from this book a student should not feel discouraged when she opens advanced texts on general relativity for further reading."