I want to learn special and general relativity

AI Thread Summary
To effectively learn special and general relativity, a solid foundation in physics and mathematics is essential. The discussion highlights that while introductory courses, such as the one on Coursera, may seem easy at first, they may not provide a thorough understanding necessary for deeper concepts, especially for ambitious goals like understanding the math behind warp drives. Participants recommend supplementing online courses with serious textbooks, such as Morin's or Hartle's, but caution that precalculus knowledge may not suffice for grasping the complexities of general relativity. The conversation emphasizes the interconnectedness of physics topics, suggesting that a broad knowledge base in areas like classical mechanics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics is crucial for mastering relativity. Ultimately, there are no shortcuts; a comprehensive understanding requires dedication to learning the foundational subjects first.
billllib
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Summary:: I want to learn special and general relativity

I am curious what is the best way to learn special and general relativity.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/einstein-relativity/home/info I started this course but it seems relativity easy so far. Only on week 2. Being easy is not bad I just curious it is thorough?

I don't know much about physics and only have precalculus education at the math level.
Any advice?

i think my end goal for relativity is to learn the math behind the hypothetical warp drive
Any advice?
 
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billllib said:
Summary:: I want to learn special and general relativity

I am curious what is the bests way to learn special and general relativity.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/einstein-relativity/home/info I started this course but it seems relativity easy so far. Only on week 2. Being easy is not bad I just curious it is thorough?

I don't know much about physics and only have precalculus education at the math level.
Any advice?

i think my end goal for relativity is to learn the math behind the hypothetical warp drive
Any advice?
The first chapter of Morin's book is online here. Might be a good supplement to coursera:

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/david-morin/files/relativity_chap_1.pdf

If you like Morin's style, you could purchase his book. You should definitely have at least one serious textbook.
 
PeroK said:
The first chapter of Morin's book is online here. Might be a good supplement to coursera:

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/david-morin/files/relativity_chap_1.pdf

If you like Morin's style, you could purchase his book. You should definitely have at least one serious textbook.

So far I don't like Morin's book some of the questions are soul crushers.
 
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Soul crushers? You mean self-esteem reducers?
 
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I just mean very difficult and I am sinking too much time and not enough results for the time. I just made up a saying probably shouldn't.
 
billllib said:
I just mean very difficult. I just made up a saying probably shouldn't.
It's bound to be hard. It's a serious undergraduate level subject.
 
After Morin's book what kind understanding will I have of special and general relativity? I think I will complete the coursea course first though.
 
billllib said:
After Morin's book what kind understanding will I have of special and general relativity? I think I will complete the coursea course first though.
You may have a complete understanding of SR. General Relativity is a different beast. It's much harder conceptually and especially mathematically.
 
Okay thanks for the advice.
 
  • #11
billllib said:
Summary:: I want to learn special and general relativity

I am curious what is the best way to learn special and general relativity.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/einstein-relativity/home/info I started this course but it seems relativity easy so far. Only on week 2. Being easy is not bad I just curious it is thorough?

I don't know much about physics and only have precalculus education at the math level.
Any advice?

i think my end goal for relativity is to learn the math behind the hypothetical warp drive
Any advice?
I have taught both SR and GR to students in their fourth-fifth years of university. To master that level of course, which is what you will need in order to get a grasp of the math behind the Alcubierre warp deive, you will need the prerequisite math and physics courses. You therefore should not expect to get a hold of it without going through the requisites first.

That being said, you can get some idea about how things work from courses that are more of an orienting nature. However, it will not really be getting an understanding at a deeper level for the subject.
 
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  • #12
billllib said:
After Morin's book what kind understanding will I have of special and general relativity? I think I will complete the coursea course first though.
Don't know Morin's book. A pretty good undergraduate book is Hartle's Gravity, but I don't think precalculus alone will cut it.
 
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billllib said:
I just mean very difficult and I am sinking too much time and not enough results for the time.

If those problems are too difficult, you aren't ready for GR yet,.
 
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  • #14
billllib said:
Summary:: I want to learn special and general relativity

I am curious what is the best way to learn special and general relativity.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/einstein-relativity/home/info I started this course but it seems relativity easy so far. Only on week 2. Being easy is not bad I just curious it is thorough?

I don't know much about physics and only have precalculus education at the math level.
Any advice?

i think my end goal for relativity is to learn the math behind the hypothetical warp drive
Any advice?

There is this myth that one can learn just one narrow bit of physics, while ignoring the rest, and one can become good at it. Let me repeat, it is a MYTH!

I will tell you why that is exactly using SR/GR subject matter that you wish to learn. Let's focus just on SR. One of the most important aspect of SR is the covariant form of Maxwell equations. Now, already you will be in a conundrum, because I am guessing that (i) you don't know the physics of Maxwell equations and (ii) you do not have the mathematics to be able to understand and use Maxwell equations.

You may not encounter this issue when all you're doing is starting out in elementary SR that we teach students in a General Physics course. But your goal is rather ambitious, and it requires quite a bit of knowledge to achieve that. This means that you have to learn all there is to know about SR (and GR), and that has to included E&M and such, with all the corresponding mathematics.

There is a reason why every student in physics has to have a broad knowledge of Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, E&M, Thermodynamics/Statistical Mechanics, etc. Physics is often interconnected! My students found out about this the hard way where the subject matter than they are dealing with in the 2nd Semester of a General Physics course requires a lot of stuff they learned from the 1st Semester!

SR is not just basic mechanics of motion. It can't be just that. After all, Einstein delved into it because of the 19th century problem with the non-covariant aspect of Maxwell equations! So the historical impetus was already based on a topic from "another" subject area.

Physicists who specialized in SR/GR first became physicists. They learned physics, not just SR/GR. Only later, after they have a solid base of basic physics knowledge do they specialize in such field.

There are no shortcuts!

Zz.
 
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  • #15
ZapperZ said:
Physicists who specialized in SR/GR first became physicists. They learned physics, not just SR/GR
have they also specialized in the corresponding mathematics? if not, would you recommend that?
 

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