2026 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Science Undergraduate major in Physics
General Relativity
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Physics
- Instructor(s)
- Shunsaku Horiuchi
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Tue (M-123(H111)) / 3-4 Fri (M-123(H111))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- PHY.F353
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 5, 2026
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course presents the basic concepts and ideas of general relativity, which describes geometry and gravitation. Topics include the mathematical machinery and physical principles of general relativity, as well as their applications to astrophysics and cosmology. 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. Supporting content will be shared using slides.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | guidance, introduction to gravitational physics |
big picture of general relativity |
| Class 2 | special relativity |
review of special relativity |
| Class 3 | Vectors, tensors |
tensor algebra |
| Class 4 | geodesic equation |
connection, geodesic |
| Class 5 | Riemann curvature |
differential geometry |
| Class 6 | Einstein equation |
derive the Einstein equation |
| Class 7 | weak field |
obtain the Newtonian limit |
| Class 8 | spherically symmetric spacetime solution |
Schwarzschild metric |
| Class 9 | tests and applications |
tests and applications of general relativity in astrophysics |
| Class 10 | black hole 1 |
Krustal coordinates |
| Class 11 | black hole 2 |
Kerr metric |
| Class 12 | cosmology 1 |
derive solutions for the expanding universe |
| Class 13 | cosmology 2 |
cosmological models |
| Class 14 | gravitational waves |
derive equation for gravitational waves |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to review class content after each class, augmented by textbooks and other course materials.
Textbook(s)
Information will be given during lectures.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Bernard F. Schutz, A first course in general relativity
Sean M. Carroll, Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity
Evaluation methods and criteria
Evaluate how much a student understands basic ideas, calculation methods, and their applications.
Evaluation will be done through written exam.
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).
Shunsaku Horiuchi, horiuchi[at]phys.sci.isct.ac.jp
Office hours
No specific schedule. Please email me in advance to arrange a day and time.