Einstein field equations

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the Einstein field equations, exploring foundational knowledge required for understanding general relativity, including special relativity, calculus, and linear algebra. Participants share resources and seek recommendations for books and videos to aid in learning the equations and their components.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant emphasizes the importance of understanding special relativity and calculus as prerequisites for studying general relativity.
  • Another participant requests recommendations for videos and books, expressing a desire for explanations of the symbols used in the equations.
  • A suggestion is made to start with Taylor and Wheeler's "Spacetime Physics" and a link to a PDF resource is provided.
  • Concerns are raised about the suitability of specific video resources, noting that some may be too elementary or lack depth in explaining the symbols.
  • Additional resources, such as notes by Baez, are shared as helpful materials for understanding the topic.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the foundational knowledge required for understanding the Einstein field equations, but there is no consensus on specific video or book recommendations that would suit everyone's needs.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the variability in learning preferences and the potential mismatch between resources and individual understanding levels. There is also mention of the historical context provided in some resources, which may not align with the technical depth desired.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in learning about general relativity, particularly those seeking foundational knowledge and resources for studying the Einstein field equations.

PhysicsEnjoyer31415
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I am still in high school but can someone explain these to me in short detail . I know what tensors are and i can solve Basic Inertia tensor matrices to find torque without official education on it . What do i need to do in order to learn these equations and understand them exactly.(Time is not a concern for me right now ) .Any video suggestions or books?or anything will be helpful .Please also explain what the symbols mean .Thanks
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Start with special relativity. All treatments of general relativity will assume you understand special relativity. Then make sure you know calculus, including differential equations and partial differentiation. And linear algebra generally.

Taylor and Wheeler's Spacetime Physics is free to download from Taylor's website, and should be in reach for a sufficiently motivated high school student.

A former mentor here, Ben Crowell, wrote a book called Relativity for Poets, which is downloadable via www.lightandmatter.com. It's a non-mathematical treatment, and about as good as you can get without maths.

Regarding the field equations, roughly speaking ##G_{ab}## describes the curvature of spacetime. ##\Lambda g_{ab}## describes the contribution of the cosmological constant, and is sometimes rolled into the term on the right. ##T_{ab}## is the stress-energy tensor, which describes all the energy (including mass) terms that are sources of gravity.
 
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PhysicsEnjoyer31415 said:
What do i need to do in order to learn these equations and understand them exactly.(Time is not a concern for me right now ) .Any video suggestions or books?or anything will be helpful .Please also explain what the symbols mean .Thanks

View attachment 345799
It's unlikely that a particular video or book suggestion will happen to hit the "sweet spot" for you. This video might be too elementary. It builds up to Einstein's equation with interesting historical commentary. It also discusses the meaning of the symbols in the equation, but not in much depth.

Einstein's equation in the video does not contain the term ##\Lambda g_{\mu \nu}##. The ##G_{\mu \nu}## in your equation represents all of the left-hand side of Einstein's equation in the video.
 
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Thank you people👍
 
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