2020 Faculty Courses School of Science Undergraduate major in Physics
General Relativity
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Physics
- Instructor(s)
- Masaru Siino
- Class Format
- Lecture (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Tue (W242) / 3-4 Fri (W242)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- PHY.F353
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course presents concepts and ideas of general relativity, which describes geometry and gravitation. Topics include the applications to astrophysics and cosmology as well.
The aim of this course is to understand the basics of general relativity.
Course description and aims
The aim of this course is for students to understand applications to cosmology and astrophysics as well as basic concepts and ideas of general relativity
Keywords
relativity, gravitation, spacetime, differential geometry
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Explain basic concepts on the blackboard.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | guidance, introduction (paradox of twins) | special relativity |
| Class 2 | space, manifold, coordinate | concept of spacetime |
| Class 3 | vector, tensor 1 | tensor algebra |
| Class 4 | vector, tensor 2 | general covariance |
| Class 5 | geodesic equation | connection, geodesic |
| Class 6 | Riemann curvature | differential geometry |
| Class 7 | Einstein equation | equivalence principle |
| Class 8 | examination | foundation of general relativity |
| Class 9 | spherically symmetric spacetime solution | Schwarzschild metric |
| Class 10 | blackhole 1 | Kurskal coordinate |
| Class 11 | black hole 2 | causality of black hole |
| Class 12 | expanding universe 1 | Friedmann equations |
| Class 13 | expanding universe 2 | expanding universe solutions |
| Class 14 | examintation | application of general relativity |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
A lecture note instead of textbook will be given in OCW.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Landau–Lifshitz The Classical Theory of Fields
R.M.Wald General Relativity
Evaluation methods and criteria
Evaluate how much a student understands basic ideas, calculation methods, and their applications. Evaluation will be done through examination.
We will determine how to make examination by the discussion with students.
Related courses
- PHY.F431 ： Cosmology
- PHY.F432 ： Astrophysics
Prerequisites
special relativity、liniear algebra
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
msiino[at]th.phys.titech.ac.jp
Office hours
We will make a group on LINE.