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General Relativity Exam Guide

This document discusses general relativity and tensor calculus concepts including summation convention, indices, basis vectors, reciprocal basis, metric tensor, and examples of calculating lengths using different coordinate systems like Cartesian and spherical coordinates. Key topics that may be examined include tensor operations, mechanics in curved space, and Einstein's field equations of general relativity.

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Rohanni Boransing Mangorsi
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9 views14 pages

General Relativity Exam Guide

This document discusses general relativity and tensor calculus concepts including summation convention, indices, basis vectors, reciprocal basis, metric tensor, and examples of calculating lengths using different coordinate systems like Cartesian and spherical coordinates. Key topics that may be examined include tensor operations, mechanics in curved space, and Einstein's field equations of general relativity.

Uploaded by

Rohanni Boransing Mangorsi
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

General Relativity

0 General issues
0.1 Summation convention

dimension of coordinate space

pairwise indices imply sum

0.2 Indices
Apart from a few exceptions,
upper and lower indices
are to be distinguished thoroughly
2
To Exam Or Not To Exam
1. Basis (not examined) intro. tensor and
Coordinates transformation (exam).
2. Tensor operations all examinable.
3. Mechanics classical NOT exam.
4. Mechanics in curved space NOT exam.
5. Special Rela. NOT exam.
6. General Rela. (Einstein Eq.) exam.
7. Application of GR Examinable:
FRW (p1-6), Schwarzschild (p1-4),
Tutorials (1,2,3). Adv. (1p, for intuition)
3
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.1 Basis and coordinates
location described by set of coordinates

coordinate line given by for all

tangent vector at

≡ basis vector related to coordinate


⤿ set of basis vectors spans tangent space at
infinitesimal displacement in space on variation of coordinate
given by line element
in general, the basis vectors depend on
3
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.1 Basis and coordinates

Example A: Cartesian coordinates (I)

4
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.1 Basis and coordinates

Example B: Constant, non-orthogonal system (I)

5
1 Curvilinear coordinates

1.2 Reciprocal basis

Kronecker-delta

construction:
orthogonality for
normalization for

orthogonal basis for


orthonormal basis

6
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.2 Reciprocal basis

Special case: 3 dimensions

7
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.2 Reciprocal basis

Example A: Cartesian coordinates (II)

8
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.2 Reciprocal basis

Example B: Constant, non-orthogonal system (II)

9
1 Curvilinear coordinates

1.3 Metric

coefficients of metric tensor (→ 1.5)

symmetry:

as matrix

10
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.3 Metric

Examples A+B: Cartesian & non-orthogonal constant basis (III)

11
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.3 Metric

length of curve given by

parametric representation of curve

12
1 Curvilinear coordinates
1.3 Metric

Example: Length of equator in spherical coordinates

use parameter along the azimuth

⤿ in

one only needs to consider :


one full turn for and

13

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