Chapters 10 and 11 are discussed here: special and general theory of relativity. For some general notes on how this page should be understood and used, as well as some general comments on the material in the book, please refer to the similar page, posted previously, related to the midterm preparation. (If in any doubt, please contact me.)
Generally, the book material offers a lot more detail than what we covered in class. Still, the basic principles that are introduced through all the detailed considerations do not go a bit beyond what we have talked about; in fact, some of the meaning of these remarkable theories of space-time is omitted. Most of this material is very helpful, but please try to avoid getting (overly) involved in details. When it comes to general theory of relativity, while the book again goes into some more detail than we have, at the same time it stays short of discussing the fuller meaning of the theory (that we have mentioned), and of its deep impact on the notion and meaning of space-time. The coverage of cosmology is not relevant to this exam. You may find it useful to refer to a short summary of both relativity theories and overviews of special relativity and general relativity.
All sections in this chapter both contain a lot of detail of which you need to know very little, and are useful for developing a general notion of what is dealt with here, what you do need to have. This chapter starts the coverage of the special relativity, which continues in the next chapter. Please try to read through and see the idea. Also, you can refer to an overview of special relativity.
Concept Check:
1-4 (p.267; basics), (5-6), 7-9, 10-11 (never mind the numbers – these
Q's stress out facts about time itself)
Summary of Ideas and Terms:
Some of them state simply and clearly a good part of what we need to understand here !
Review Questions:
(1-3), 4; 7-9, (11); 15, (16), 17; (18, this is in fact very difficult!), (20);
Conceptual Exercises:
1 (look through a few others, to understand the term "relative motion");
13, (14), (16), 17, 18, (20-21); 22; 32, (34-35), 37; (44, 47-48);
[ Comment :
Please remember that you do not need to know, or even follow, the detailed
reasoning behind these ideas; on the other hand, going through it may help
you to appreciate the ideas.
]
The first five sections continue, and close, the treatment of special relativity. Section 11.6 then introduces the general relativity. While you do not need to know the details of explanations, the basic ideas are presented in a simple manner. Somewhere in section 11.7 the book goes on to cosmology, and this will not be in the exam.
Concept Check:
(1-3 p290), (4 p292),
(5 p295;
while this does require some analytical thinking, it summarizes all effects!);
read "MAKING ESTIMATES"
at p298; (7-8);
Review Questions:
3, 4, (5-6); (8), 9-10, 14, (16); 17, (18); 24, 25;
Conceptual Exercises:
(1-6 read through them and think : distances and time are measured
differently! One does need to be going fast for this effect to be noticeable
to us :), (9-12 again, basic but illustrative examples); 15, (20-21 :);
[ Comment :
Most of these questions go into more detail than we did; use them to extract the
basic principles and ideas. This applies to material on General Relativity in
particular: questions are sparse and mostly too hard to ask, while the text
has some excellent, well-measured discussions.
]