PHYS0001 Einstein’s Universe

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Course Code PHYS0001  
Course Title Einstein’s Universe
(愛因斯坦的宇宙)
  
Class Date 16, 17, 18, 19, 22 and 23 July 2024

(24 July 2024 is reserved for class make-up in case there is any cancellation of classes due to bad weather or other unexpected factors.)

(25 July 2024 is reserved for class assessment.)

  
Class Time 1:00pm – 3:30pm
Class Location TBC
Teacher Dr. LIN Lap Ming

Senior Lecturer
Department of Physics
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

  

 
Medium of Instruction English
Pre-requisite Mathematics curriculum for Hong Kong S.5 students or equivalent.

Physics curriculum for Hong Kong S.5 students or equivalent would be beneficial, but is not a mandatory requirement.
 Course Description One of the pillars of modern theoretical physics is Einstein’s theory of relativity, which gives us a revolutionary idea to unify space and time into a single entity we now called spacetime. The theory not only leads to far-reaching applications from particle physics to astrophysics, but also in daily life such as global positioning systems and nuclear energy. This course aims to introduce Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity using a conceptual approach with elementary mathematics at the level of Hong Kong S.5 students 0r equivalent. Topics covered will include: Physical foundations of special and general relativity; the concepts of spacetime interval, light cone and metric; experimental tests of relativity; black holes, gravitational waves and cosmology.
Course Content Background:

  • Conceptual introduction to Newton’s laws of motion
  • Newton’s law of gravitation

Special relativity:

  • Physical foundation
  • Time dilation and length contraction
  • Lorentz transformation
  • Minkowski spacetime

 

General relativity:

  • Physical foundation
  • Metric: From curved space to spacetime
  • General relativity: Geometric theory of gravity
  • Experimental tests
  • Selected topics: Black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology
Learning Outcomes Students are expected to

  • understand the physical foundation of special and general relativity
  • be able to analyze and solve basic problems in relativity
  • understand the basic mathematical descriptions of curved spacetime
  • acquire some general knowledge and appreciation of the applications of relativity in understanding the universe
Recommended Reading(s) / Reference(s) B. Schutz “Gravity from the ground up”, Cambridge University Press (2003)

K.S. Thorne “Black holes and time warps: Einstein’s outrageous legacy”, W.W. Norton (1994)

C.M. Will and N. Yunes “Is Einstein still right?”, Oxford University Press (2020)

E.F. Taylor and J. A. Wheeler “Exploring black holes: introduction to general relativity”, Addison Wesley Longman (2000)

T.-P. Cheng “Relativity, gravitation and cosmology: A basic introduction”, Oxford University Press (2010)
Course Assessment Homework (40%)

Quiz (60%)
  The above course information is subject to change and approval.
  Last updated on 28 February 2024
   

 

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