PHYS 344 - Relativity

Motion, space and time, cause and effect! These are perhaps the very first subjects of inquiry in physics! This course is a survey of relativity, from Galilean relativity, a model that was successful for over two centuries and is still useful today, to special relativity, formulated by Einstein in his famous 1905 paper, ending with general relativity, a true triumph of modern science. We will develop and apply concepts and mathematical analysis for all three of these theoretical frameworks. Our focus and the bulk of time in the course will be spent on the middle part, the theory of special relativity, which describes the motion of objects with speeds comparable to the speed of light, and leads to a radical re-formulation of our basic notions of space and time.

Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 224
Credits: 3
Grade Mode: Letter