Printing mistake in A First Course in General Relativity?

In summary, the printing mistake in A First Course in General Relativity is an error in the equation for the Christoffel symbols on page 138. The mistake was discovered by physicist and mathematician, John Norton, and was corrected in newer editions of the book. While the mistake does not have a significant impact on the overall content of the book, it has been corrected for accuracy. There are no other known errors in the book, and the author is a reputable physicist with no reported errors in his other publications.
  • #1
Rasalhague
1,387
2
Is is a typo? The 1985 edition of Schutz: A First Course in General Relativity, p. 52, equation 2.37, which is supposed to express the idea that "photons have spatial momentum equal to their energy":

[tex]\vec{p} \cdot \vec{p} = -E^2 + E^2 = 0.[/tex]

Shouldn't this be

[tex]\vec{p} \cdot \vec{p} = E^2[/tex]

or

[tex]E^2 - \vec{p} \cdot \vec{p} = 0?[/tex]
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Oh, sorry, my mistake. I just realized--seconds after posting this!--that he's using the symbol [itex]\vec{p}[/itex] for the energy-momentum 4-vector, rather than for spatial momentum.
 

Related to Printing mistake in A First Course in General Relativity?

1. What is the printing mistake in A First Course in General Relativity?

The printing mistake in A First Course in General Relativity is an error in the equation for the Christoffel symbols on page 138. The correct version of the equation should include a minus sign in front of the term for the derivative of the metric tensor.

2. How was the printing mistake discovered?

The printing mistake was discovered by physicist and mathematician, John Norton, who compared the equation in the book with the original equation published by Albert Einstein. Norton noticed the missing minus sign and brought it to the attention of the publisher and author.

3. What impact does the printing mistake have on the content of the book?

The printing mistake does not have a significant impact on the overall content of the book. The equations leading up to and following the error are still correct and do not change the overall understanding of the subject matter. It is a minor error that can easily be corrected by readers.

4. Has the printing mistake been corrected in newer editions of the book?

Yes, the printing mistake has been corrected in newer editions of A First Course in General Relativity. The corrected equation can be found in the 2nd edition of the book, published in 2009. The publisher also released an erratum for the 1st edition, which includes the corrected equation for readers to use as a reference.

5. Are there any other known errors in A First Course in General Relativity?

As far as we know, the printing mistake is the only known error in A First Course in General Relativity. The book has been reviewed and used by many scientists and educators, and no other significant errors have been reported. The author, Bernard Schutz, is a reputable physicist and has published several other books on the subject with no known errors.

Similar threads

  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
1
Views
52
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
8
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
14
Views
4K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
5
Views
993
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
12
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
8
Views
3K
  • Special and General Relativity
5
Replies
146
Views
6K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
17
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
59
Views
4K
Back
Top