Looking for further Relativity textbooks

  • Context: Relativity 
  • Thread starter Thread starter GravitySK
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Relativity Textbooks
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on recommendations for textbooks on Relativity, encompassing both Special and General Relativity. Participants also explore the prerequisites in Electrodynamics that may influence the study of Relativity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant is currently studying Special Relativity through Goldstein's Classical Mechanics and seeks further textbook recommendations for an in-depth study of both Special and General Relativity.
  • Another participant suggests that while knowledge of Electrodynamics is not necessary for learning Special Relativity, familiarity with it would be beneficial before tackling General Relativity.
  • A different participant emphasizes that basic knowledge of Maxwell's equations and the electromagnetic nature of light is advisable for understanding Relativity.
  • Recommendations for textbooks include Anthony French's book for an introductory approach, Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics for deeper applications, and several standard texts for General Relativity such as Wald's General Relativity, Weinberg's Gravitational and Cosmology, and the MTW textbook, Gravitation.
  • One participant notes that many modern books on Relativity do not cover continuum mechanics, suggesting a specific book that addresses this gap.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying opinions on the necessity of Electrodynamics knowledge for studying Relativity, with some advocating for its importance while others suggest it is not strictly required. Multiple textbook recommendations are provided, indicating a lack of consensus on a single preferred resource.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the varying depth of study in Relativity and the potential prerequisites, but do not resolve the implications of these prerequisites on the learning process.

GravitySK
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
I'm reading chapter 7 of Goldstein Classical Mechanics (the special relativity part)
I'm planning to take a deep(very deep!) study on Relativity(Both Special and General Theory) after finishing chapter 7 of Goldstein.
Which textbooks will you recommend?
If you could give me a suggestion with reason, it would help me a lot! Thank you!:smile:Also, I have only a little knowledge on Electrodynamics(like Maxwell equation, Some Electromagnetic theory)
Will it affect my study on relativity?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
GravitySK said:
Also, I have only a little knowledge on Electrodynamics(like Maxwell equation, Some Electromagnetic theory)
Will it affect my study on relativity?
You can learn special relativity without knowledge of electrodynamics. However, before jumping to general relativity, some knowledge of electrodynamics would be very useful.
 
You don't need to be an expert in electrodynamics to go for relativity but It is higly advisable that you are at least very familiar with basic facts about Maxwell's equations and with the electromagnetic nature of light.

I recommend that you start your relativity with a book that starts with "why" relativity is needed, something like Antonhy French's special relativity.
 
How much deep?
You can go for Jackson's excellent book on Classical Electrodynamics for going somewhat deeper into application of theory. Special relativity has heavy application inside this topic(The other in Quantum mechanics called QED)(Obviously Special theory of relativity has its roots from electrodynamics only). For GR,there are lot of references (Assuming you have prerequisite). There are many standard books which follow modern approach to GR(In an algebraic fashion). Some of them are Wald's General relativity(This one is modern one), Weinberg's Gravitational and Cosmology(Somewhat old but still it is preferred),The famous MTW textbook,Gravitation(Also old),etc.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
12K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
4K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K
Replies
25
Views
13K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K