UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-CLEAR LAKE

 

SYLLABUS – Summer 2017

 

 

PHYS 4333                 Special Relativity

                                    MTWR 03:00 – 05:50PM BAYOU 3615

 

INSTRUCTOR:          David Garrison

OFFICE:                     BAYOU 3531-2        

EMAIL:                       garrison@uhcl.edu

TELEPHONE:            281-283-3796

 

Course Description:    Introduces Einstein's special and general theory of relativity using tensor algebra. Introduction to tensor math.

 

Prerequisites:               Classical Mechanics

 

Textbooks:                  Introduction to Spacetime: A First Course on Relativity, Bertel Laurent

                                   

                                    Introducing Einstein’s Relativity, Ray D’Inverno

 

Policies:

 

1.   Office Hours:      MTWR 2:00-3:00 pm and by appointment

 

2.   Measurements:    four weekly take-home problem sets

 

Date                 Percent

                                    Problem Sets   (4)                                              100

 

3.   Grading:              The grade boundaries will be (whichever is lower):

 

A – 90% or more than one standard deviation above the mean

B – 80% or class average

C – 70% or one standard deviation below the mean

D – 65% or one and a half standard deviations below the mean

F – 60% or more than two standard deviations below the mean

 

Refined letter grade system, including “+” or “-“, will be used

 

4.   Honesty Code:     I will be honest in all my academic activities and will not tolerate dishonesty.

 

5.   Make-ups:           Make-up exams are not recommended.  If you know ahead of time that you will be unable to attend an exam, please let me know in advance so that we can make other arrangements.

 

6.   Disability Accommodation Statement:   If you are certified as disabled and are entitled to accommodation under the ADA Act., sec 503, please see the instructor as soon as possible.  If you are not currently certified and believe that you may qualify, please contact the Coordinator of Disabled Services, at 283-2627, in Health and Disability Services.

 

7.   Learning Outcomes:

 

Upon Completion of this course, students will be able to:

·      Understand the History and thought process leading to the development of Special and General Relativity

·      Solve problems involving Lorentz Transformations

·      Solve problems involving Tensor Analysis

·      Solve basic problems involving General Relativity

 

 

Week

Topic

Chapter(s)

1

Special Relativity

L 1-7, D 1-4

2

Tensors

L 8-11, D 5-7

3

General Relativity

D 8-10

4

Applications of General Relativity

D 15, 16, 20, 23