General Relativity Without Calculus

Requiring only basic knowledge of high school mathematics and physics, this volume offers a concise introduction to the general theory of relativity. The text presents the fundamentals of special relativity, Minkowski space-time, non-Euclidean geometry, Newtonian gravity, and more.

General Relativity Without Calculus offers a compact but mathematically correct introduction to the general theory of relativity, assuming only a basic knowledge of high school mathematics and physics. Targeted at first year undergraduates (and advanced high school students) who wish to learn Einstein's theory beyond popular science accounts, it covers the basics of special relativity, Minkowski space-time, non-Euclidean geometry, Newtonian gravity, the Schwarzschild solution, black holes and cosmology. The quick-paced style is balanced by over 75 exercises (including full solutions), allowing readers to test and consolidate their understanding.

Provides a quite original approach to Relativity, in that it tries to convey nontrivial, quantitative ideas about geometry and general relativity using elementary mathematics only Offers a short, but mathematically correct introduction to the general theory of relativity for first-year students of astronomy, mathematics or physics Paves the way for more advanced texts Over 75 exercises with full solutions help the reader understand the matter

Inhalt
1 Lorentz transformations.- 2 Minkowski geometry.- 3 Non-Euclidean geometry.- 4 Gravity.- 5 General relativity.- 6 The Schwarzschild solution.- 7 Cosmology.- 8 Mathematics and physics.