The tentative schedule below lists topics found in the two main
texts.
(The relevant readings are from Liddle (L) and Cheng (C).) There may
be other reference materials.
Tentative Schedule
|
Date |
|
Day |
Chapter |
Topics |
|
Jan |
8 |
M |
|
The Universe As We Knew It |
| |
10 |
W |
L2-3 |
Then There Was Einstein,
Friedmann, and Hubble |
| |
12 |
F |
C2 |
Special Relativity Review |
| |
15 |
M |
|
Holiday |
| |
17 |
W |
C3 |
Minkowski Spacetime |
| |
19 |
F |
C3 |
Four-vectors |
| |
22 |
M |
C4 |
Principle of Equivalence |
| |
24 |
W |
C4 |
Gravitational Redshift/Time
Dilation |
|
|
26 |
F |
C4 |
Light Rays |
| |
29 |
M |
C5 |
Metric Tensor |
|
|
31 |
W |
C5 |
Geodesics |
|
Feb |
2 |
F |
C5 |
Curvature |
| |
5 |
M |
C6 |
Geometry as Gravity |
| |
7 |
W |
C6 |
Geodesics and Equations of
Motion |
| |
9 |
F |
C6 |
Tidal Forces and Curvature |
| |
12 |
M |
|
Exam I |
| |
14 |
W |
C7 |
Schwarzschild Spacetime |
| |
16 |
F |
C7 |
Embedding Diagrams |
| |
19 |
M |
C7 |
Gravitational Lensing |
| |
21 |
W |
C7 |
Mercury's Precession |
| |
23 |
F |
C8 |
Black Holes |
| |
26 |
M |
C8 |
Kruskal Coordinates |
| |
28 |
W |
C8 |
Orbits |
|
Mar |
2 |
F |
C8 |
Real Black Holes |
|
Spring
Vacation - Mar 3-11 |
| |
12 |
M |
C9, L8-9 |
The Universe |
| |
14 |
W |
C9 |
Robertson-Walker Metric |
| |
16 |
F |
C9 |
Distance and Luminosity |
| |
19 |
M |
C10, L3-4 |
Friedmann Equations |
| |
21 |
W |
C10, L5-6 |
Model Universes |
| |
23 |
F |
C10, L11 |
Big Bang Cosmology |
| |
26 |
M |
C10, L12 |
Nucleosynthesis |
|
|
28 |
W |
C11, L10 |
CMB |
| |
30 |
F |
|
Vacation |
|
Apr |
2 |
M |
C11, L7 |
Cosmological Constant |
| |
4 |
W |
C11, L13 |
Inflationary Epoch |
| |
6 |
F |
C11 |
The Flat, Accelerating
Universe |
| |
9 |
M |
|
Exam II |
| |
11 |
W |
C12 |
Tensors in Special
Relativity |
| |
13 |
F |
C12 |
Electromagnetism, Energy-Momentum Tensor |
| |
16 |
M |
C13 |
Tensors in General
Relativity |
| |
18 |
W |
C13 |
Curvature |
| |
20 |
F |
C14 |
Einstein Equation |
| |
23 |
M |
C15 |
Gravitational Waves |
| |
25 |
W |
|
The Universe as We Know It |
|
May |
2 |
W |
|
Final 11:30-2:30 |
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