Relationship between GR and qm+electromagnetism?

[romsofia]

I emailed a prof about sitting in on his graduate-level gravitational theory class next semester. He said he would like his students to have understanding of electromagnetism, special relativity and quantum mechanics at the advanced undergraduate level.

This is the course description: Presents Einstein's relativistic theory of gravitation from geometric viewpoint; gives applications to astrophysical problems (gravitational waves, stellar collapse, etc.).


My question is does GR involves the two subjects? I have the QM down, but I'm not sure if my electromagnetism is at the "advanced undergraduate level" and am not sure if I'll have enough time to bring it up to par if GR needs my understanding to be there.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Vanadium 50]

GR doesn't involve much E&M, but if you are not facile with the mathematics of E&M, you will not understand a whit of GR.

 

[romsofia]

GR doesn't involve much E&M, but if you are not facile with the mathematics of E&M, you will not understand a whit of GR.

What level of math is E&M at?

I have "Classical Electrodynamics: Third Edition" by Jackson, and am slowly working through the first chapter. But so far, all I've seen are divergence theorems and things of that sort.
I'm also currently taking a PDE course (Initial/Boundary value problems for first-order, wave, heat and Laplace Equations; maximum principles; Fourier Series and applications.).

Would that be enough? If not, what would you suggest I also study?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Ideally, you should be able to handle any problem in Jackson. (Although not necessarily quickly!)

 

[sardar]

I can confirm that there is a strong relationship between general relativity (GR) and quantum mechanics (QM) + electromagnetism. In fact, these three theories form the pillars of modern physics and are essential for understanding the fundamental workings of the universe.

GR is a geometric theory of gravity that describes how massive objects interact with each other and how they affect the curvature of spacetime. On the other hand, QM and electromagnetism deal with the microscopic world of atoms and subatomic particles, and describe how particles interact with each other through electromagnetic forces.

In order to fully understand GR, it is important to have a strong understanding of QM and electromagnetism. This is because GR incorporates concepts from both theories, such as the concept of spacetime curvature and the role of energy and mass in gravitational interactions.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to have a solid understanding of QM and electromagnetism before delving into the study of GR. It is understandable that you may not have enough time to bring your understanding of electromagnetism to the advanced undergraduate level, but I would suggest seeking additional resources or talking to the professor to see if there are any prerequisites or foundational concepts that you can focus on to prepare for the course.

Overall, having a strong grasp of QM and electromagnetism will greatly benefit your understanding of GR and its applications to astrophysical problems. Best of luck in your studies!