A good grad-level intorduction to general relativity

In summary, the person is looking for a recommendation on a book that can provide a working knowledge of general relativity. They have already taken a course on relativity and cosmology but still struggle to understand papers on gravity. They are looking for a book that is easy to understand but also has enough rigor. Suggestions include MTW's Gravitation, Wald's General Relativity, Carroll's book on GR, Bernard Schutz's A First Course in General Relativity, and Edwin Taylor's Exploring Black Holes. The person mentions that Carroll is their personal favorite and recommends using Schutz's book with Hartle's as a supplement.
  • #1
taylrl3
61
0
Hi there,

I am wondering if anyone might be ablet to suggest a good book to give me a working knowledge of general relativity. I have already sat a "relativity and cosmology" undergraduate module but I find that I am still unable to understand papers on gravity. I would like something that is quite easy to get into but yet can provide enough rigour to help me to understand, a kind of "general relativity for dummies" type book.

I have been through most of the Leonard Susskind lecture series on GR but I would like it spelt out to me.

Thanks!
Taylrl
 
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  • #2
There's always MTW's Gravitation, it's very comprehensive, but it has a "track 1" for beginning students in GR. There's also Wald's General Relativity, which tends to be a lot more terse but also mathematically rigorous. Carroll has a book on GR as well which are arranged from his lecture notes but I haven't really read that one except for his short spiel on Killing vector fields.

I think a good upper undergrad, lower grad level book is Bernard Schutz's A First Course in General Relativity.
 
  • #3
There's also 'General Relativity' by I.R. Kenyon, which gives a decent account of the formalism.

A lower-level book is Edwin Taylor's 'Exploring Black Holes: Introduction to General Relativity'. It's useful for understanding about the outcomes of the theory but doesn't go into the maths.
 
  • #4
Carroll is my personal favorite. Wald will probably be of little use to a beginner. Schutz with Hartle as a supplement were how I myself got started. Schutz has an excellent intro to tensors, and especially the stress-energy tensor. Hartle goes over some topics that Schutz leaves out, like the extremal aging principle and a few others.
 

FAQ: A good grad-level intorduction to general relativity

1. What is general relativity?

General relativity is a theory of gravity developed by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century. It describes how mass and energy interact with space and time to produce the force of gravity. It is currently the most accurate theory we have for understanding the behavior of objects on a large scale, such as planets, stars, and galaxies.

2. Why is it important to study general relativity at a graduate level?

Studying general relativity at a graduate level allows for a deeper understanding of the theory and its applications. It is also necessary for pursuing a career in physics or astrophysics, where general relativity is a fundamental component of many research areas.

3. What topics are typically covered in a graduate-level introduction to general relativity?

Topics covered in a graduate-level introduction to general relativity may include the mathematics of curved spacetime, the Einstein field equations, the Schwarzschild solution, black holes, and the expanding universe. There may also be discussions on more advanced topics such as gravitational waves and cosmology.

4. Is prior knowledge of physics and mathematics necessary to understand general relativity at a graduate level?

Yes, a strong background in physics and mathematics is necessary to understand general relativity at a graduate level. This includes knowledge of classical mechanics, electromagnetism, special relativity, and differential geometry. Without this foundation, it can be challenging to grasp the concepts and equations of general relativity.

5. How can studying general relativity benefit my understanding of the universe?

Studying general relativity can provide a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles that govern the behavior of the universe, such as the nature of space, time, and gravity. It also allows for a better understanding of phenomena such as black holes, gravitational lensing, and the expanding universe. Additionally, general relativity plays a crucial role in modern cosmology and can provide insights into the origins and evolution of the universe.

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