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General Relativity (book)

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formulation of general relativity are presented in Chapters 2 and 3 while more advanced techniques are discussed in Appendices A to C. Wald believes that this is the best way forward because putting all the mathematical techniques at the beginning of the book would prove to be a major obstruction for students while developing these mathematical tools as they get used would mean they are too scattered to be useful. While the
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Wald's text is entirely based. Its style is uniformly clear and economic, if too brief at times. Topics that deserve more attention include gravitational radiation and cosmology. However, this book can be supplemented by those by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler, and by Weinberg. Smolin was teaching a course on general relativity to undergraduates as well as graduate students at
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bridges the gap between the presentation of the material in older textbooks and the literature. For example, while the early pioneers of the subject, including Einstein himself, employed coordinate-based methods, researchers since the mid-1960s have switched to coordinate-free formulations, of which
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First published by the University of Chicago Press in 1984, the book, a tome of almost 500 pages, covers many aspects of the general theory of relativity. It is divided into two parts. Part I covers the fundamentals of the subject and Part II the more advanced topics such as causal structure, and
1307:, this textbook offers good physics intuition. However, the author did not use the most modern mathematical methods available, and his treatment of cosmology is now outdated. Finley believes that the abstract index notation is difficult to learn, though convenient for those who have mastered it. 233:
It is aimed at beginning graduate students and researchers. To this end, most of the materials in Part I is geared towards an introductory course on the subject while Part II covers a wide range of advanced topics for a second term or further study. The essential mathematical methods for the
1365:, are handled well while empirical tests of Einstein's theory are barely scratched and the treatment of advanced topics, including cosmology, is just too brief to be useful to students. Due to its heavy use of higher mathematics, it may not be suitable for an introductory course. 1318:
is a sophisticated yet concise book on the subject that should be appealing to the mathematically inclined, as a high level of rigor is maintained throughout the book. However, he believed the material on linearized gravity is too short, and recommended
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provides a modern introduction to the subject with emphasis on tensor and topological methods and offers some "sharp insights." However, its quality is very variable. Topics such as geodetic motion in the Schwarzschild metric, the
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is often presented in conjunction with the initial-value formulation, Wald's coverage of the latter is independent of the former, which is thus relegated to the appendix, alongside the
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because it is easier to treat spinors this way. Moreover, this is the most common sign convention used in the literature.
1489:. Daniel Finley. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico. April 1, 2018. Accessed January 18, 2019. 1085: 1735: 1716: 1698: 465: 1558: 1530: 1276: 1268: 491: 134: 1448: 1380:
using this book and felt satisfied with the results. He also found it useful as a reference to refresh his memory.
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for reasons of technical convenience. However, there is one important exception. In Chapter 13 – and
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et al. University of California, Riverside. September 1998. Accessed January 18, 2019.
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in vacuum) are set equal to one, except when predictions that can be tested are made.
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A Relativist's Toolkit, The Mathematics of Black-Hole Mechanics.
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Hans C. Ohanian, who taught and researched gravitation at the
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Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Formulations of Einstein's Equation
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Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity
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Chapter 14: Quantum Effects in Strong Gravitational Fields
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in Chapter 13 –, the sign convention is switched to
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A Listing of Technical Books for General Relativity
1158:Chapter 7: Methods for Solving Einstein's Equation 450: 353: 329: 302: 266: 1549:Wald, Robert (1984). "Notation and Conventions". 1758: 1728:Gravity: Newtonian, Post-Newtonian, Relativistic 1303:According to Daniel Finley, a professor at the 1093: 1752:Official University of Chicago Press website 317:, meaning the fundamental natural constants 1722: 1586:(5). American Institute of Physics: 94–95. 1100: 1086: 25: 1544: 1542: 218:, the initial-value formulation, (exact) 1553:. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1525:. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1482: 1480: 185:is a graduate textbook and reference on 16:1984 graduate textbook by Robert M. Wald 1612: 193:written by the gravitational physicist 1759: 1652:Smolin, Lee (January–February 1986). " 1651: 1539: 1477: 1286:. University of Chicago Press, 2010. 1263:. University of Chicago Press, 1984. 1573: 1548: 1520: 1516: 1514: 1497: 1495: 1474:. University of Chicago Press, 1984. 368: 1420:List of books on general relativity 206:quantum effects. The book uses the 13: 1680: 1363:energy extraction from black holes 1139:Chapter 5: Homogeneous, Isotropic 411: 14: 1793: 1745: 1613:Ohanian, Hans (September 1985). " 1511: 1492: 230:, and black-hole thermodynamics. 216:variational-principle formulation 1521:Wald, Robert (1984). "Preface". 1404: 1390: 1350:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1067: 1066: 1053: 383: 89:The University of Chicago Press 1730:. Cambridge University Press. 1645: 1606: 1567: 1464: 1434:Einstein Gravity in a Nutshell 1: 1457: 1298: 1711:Cambridge University Press. 191:general theory of relativity 7: 1619:American Journal of Physics 1502:A Guide to Relativity Books 1383: 1253: 1161:Chapter 8: Causal Structure 564:Gravitational time dilation 200: 10: 1798: 684:Mathisson–Papapetrou–Dixon 525:Pseudo-Riemannian manifold 1574:York, James (May 1987). " 1450:Classical Electrodynamics 1339:Gravitation and Cosmology 1232:Conformal Transformations 1172:Initial Value Formulation 214:. It treats spinors, the 166: 154: 140: 128: 120: 112: 104: 94: 84: 76: 66: 56: 46: 36: 24: 1726:; Poisson, Eric (2014). 1305:University of New Mexico 1242:F. Units and Dimensions. 1154:Part II: Advanced Topics 689:Hamilton–Jacobi–Einstein 669:Einstein field equations 492:Mathematical formulation 108:United States of America 1117:Chapter 1: Introduction 208:abstract index notation 1782:1984 non-fiction books 1335:John Archibald Wheeler 1310:Theoretical physicist 1220:C. Maps of Manifolds, 1147:Schwarzschild Solution 559:Gravitational redshift 452: 355: 339:gravitational constant 331: 313:Most of the book uses 304: 268: 847:Weyl−Lewis−Papapetrou 802:Kerr–Newman–de Sitter 622:Einstein–Rosen bridge 554:Gravitational lensing 510:Equivalence principle 453: 356: 332: 305: 269: 236:Hamiltonian formalism 1130:Chapter 3: Curvature 1113:Part I: Fundamentals 777:Einstein–Rosen waves 503:Fundamental concepts 392: 345: 321: 303:{\displaystyle +---} 285: 267:{\displaystyle -+++} 249: 240:Lagrangian formalism 1777:Relativity articles 1631:1985AmJPh..53..923W 1592:1987PhT....40e..94W 1442:Classical Mechanics 1216:Frobenius's Theorem 1214:, Integration, and 1178:Asymptotic Flatness 1135:Einstein's Equation 731:Kaluza–Klein theory 617:Minkowski spacetime 569:Gravitational waves 245:This book uses the 220:gravitational waves 21: 20:General Relativity 1767:General relativity 1693:. Addison Wesley. 1658:American Scientist 1654:General Relativity 1615:General Relativity 1576:General Relativity 1551:General Relativity 1523:General Relativity 1472:General Relativity 1373:General Relativity 1359:Krushkal extension 1354:General Relativity 1316:General Relativity 1284:General Relativity 1261:General Relativity 1212:Differential Forms 1206:Topological Spaces 1060:Physics portal 832:Oppenheimer–Snyder 772:Reissner–Nordström 664:Linearized gravity 612:Spacetime diagrams 515:Special relativity 448: 377:General relativity 363:the speed of light 351: 327: 300: 264: 182:General Relativity 71:General relativity 19: 1772:Physics textbooks 1724:Will, Clifford M. 1656:by Robert Wald". 1617:". Book Reviews. 1600:10.1063/1.2820032 1292:978-0-226-87037-3 1110: 1109: 743: 742: 629: 628: 369:Table of Contents 354:{\displaystyle c} 330:{\displaystyle G} 315:geometrized units 228:Hawking radiation 222:, singularities, 178: 177: 174:QC173.6 .W35 1984 105:Publication place 47:Cover artist 31:Hardcover edition 1789: 1741: 1674: 1673: 1649: 1643: 1642: 1610: 1604: 1603: 1571: 1565: 1564: 1546: 1537: 1536: 1518: 1509: 1499: 1490: 1484: 1475: 1470:Wald, Robert M. 1468: 1414: 1409: 1408: 1400: 1395: 1394: 1345:as supplements. 1282:Wald, Robert M. 1259:Wald, Robert M. 1102: 1095: 1088: 1075: 1070: 1069: 1062: 1058: 1057: 842:van Stockum dust 827:Robertson–Walker 653: 652: 543: 542: 457: 455: 454: 449: 447: 446: 434: 426: 425: 407: 406: 387: 373: 372: 360: 358: 357: 352: 336: 334: 333: 328: 309: 307: 306: 301: 273: 271: 270: 265: 224:Penrose diagrams 170: 144: 96:Publication date 29: 22: 18: 1797: 1796: 1792: 1791: 1790: 1788: 1787: 1786: 1757: 1756: 1748: 1738: 1687:Carroll, Sean M 1683: 1681:Further reading 1678: 1677: 1650: 1646: 1639:10.1119/1.14379 1611: 1607: 1572: 1568: 1561: 1547: 1540: 1533: 1519: 1512: 1500: 1493: 1485: 1478: 1469: 1465: 1460: 1410: 1403: 1396: 1389: 1386: 1378:Yale University 1343:Steven Weinberg 1301: 1256: 1222:Lie Derivatives 1145:Chapter 6: The 1106: 1065: 1052: 1051: 1044: 1043: 867: 866: 857: 856: 812:LemaĂźtre–Tolman 757: 756: 745: 744: 736:Quantum gravity 723:Advanced theory 650: 649: 648: 631: 630: 579:Geodetic effect 540: 539: 530: 529: 505: 504: 488: 458: 439: 435: 430: 418: 414: 399: 395: 393: 390: 389: 371: 346: 343: 342: 322: 319: 318: 286: 283: 282: 275:sign convention 250: 247: 246: 203: 187:Albert Einstein 159: 113:Media type 97: 32: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1795: 1785: 1784: 1779: 1774: 1769: 1755: 1754: 1747: 1746:External links 1744: 1743: 1742: 1737:978-1107032866 1736: 1720: 1717:978-0521830911 1702: 1699:978-1108488396 1682: 1679: 1676: 1675: 1644: 1605: 1566: 1559: 1538: 1531: 1510: 1491: 1476: 1462: 1461: 1459: 1456: 1455: 1454: 1446: 1438: 1430: 1422: 1416: 1415: 1412:Physics portal 1401: 1385: 1382: 1352:, opined that 1327:Charles Misner 1300: 1297: 1296: 1295: 1280: 1255: 1252: 1251: 1248: 1245: 1244: 1243: 1240: 1234: 1228: 1226:Killing Fields 1218: 1208: 1197: 1196: 1195: 1192: 1186: 1180: 1174: 1168: 1162: 1159: 1151: 1150: 1149: 1143: 1137: 1131: 1128: 1118: 1108: 1107: 1105: 1104: 1097: 1090: 1082: 1079: 1078: 1077: 1076: 1063: 1046: 1045: 1042: 1041: 1034: 1029: 1024: 1019: 1014: 1009: 1004: 999: 994: 989: 984: 979: 974: 969: 964: 959: 954: 949: 944: 939: 934: 929: 924: 919: 914: 909: 904: 899: 894: 889: 884: 879: 874: 868: 864: 863: 862: 859: 858: 855: 854: 849: 844: 839: 834: 829: 824: 819: 814: 809: 804: 799: 794: 789: 784: 779: 774: 769: 758: 752: 751: 750: 747: 746: 741: 740: 739: 738: 733: 725: 724: 720: 719: 718: 717: 715:Post-Newtonian 712: 707: 699: 698: 694: 693: 692: 691: 686: 681: 676: 671: 666: 658: 657: 651: 647: 646: 643: 639: 638: 637: 636: 633: 632: 627: 626: 625: 624: 619: 614: 606: 605: 599: 598: 597: 596: 591: 586: 581: 576: 574:Frame-dragging 571: 566: 561: 556: 551: 549:Kepler problem 541: 537: 536: 535: 532: 531: 528: 527: 522: 517: 512: 506: 502: 501: 500: 497: 496: 495: 494: 489: 487: 486: 481: 476: 470: 468: 460: 459: 445: 442: 438: 433: 429: 424: 421: 417: 413: 410: 405: 402: 398: 388: 380: 379: 370: 367: 350: 326: 299: 296: 293: 290: 263: 260: 257: 254: 202: 199: 176: 175: 172: 164: 163: 160: 155: 152: 151: 146: 138: 137: 132: 126: 125: 122: 118: 117: 114: 110: 109: 106: 102: 101: 98: 95: 92: 91: 86: 82: 81: 78: 74: 73: 68: 64: 63: 58: 54: 53: 48: 44: 43: 38: 34: 33: 30: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1794: 1783: 1780: 1778: 1775: 1773: 1770: 1768: 1765: 1764: 1762: 1753: 1750: 1749: 1739: 1733: 1729: 1725: 1721: 1718: 1714: 1710: 1706: 1705:Poisson, Eric 1703: 1700: 1696: 1692: 1688: 1685: 1684: 1671: 1667: 1663: 1659: 1655: 1648: 1640: 1636: 1632: 1628: 1624: 1620: 1616: 1609: 1601: 1597: 1593: 1589: 1585: 1581: 1580:Physics Today 1577: 1570: 1562: 1560:0-226-87032-4 1556: 1552: 1545: 1543: 1534: 1532:0-226-87032-4 1528: 1524: 1517: 1515: 1507: 1503: 1498: 1496: 1488: 1483: 1481: 1473: 1467: 1463: 1453: 1451: 1447: 1445: 1443: 1439: 1437: 1435: 1431: 1429: 1427: 1423: 1421: 1418: 1417: 1413: 1407: 1402: 1399: 1393: 1388: 1381: 1379: 1374: 1370: 1366: 1364: 1360: 1355: 1351: 1346: 1344: 1340: 1336: 1332: 1328: 1324: 1323: 1317: 1313: 1312:James W. York 1308: 1306: 1293: 1289: 1285: 1281: 1278: 1277:0-226-87032-4 1274: 1271:(paperback). 1270: 1269:0-226-87033-2 1266: 1262: 1258: 1257: 1249: 1246: 1241: 1239: 1235: 1233: 1229: 1227: 1223: 1219: 1217: 1213: 1209: 1207: 1203: 1202: 1201: 1198: 1193: 1191: 1187: 1185: 1181: 1179: 1175: 1173: 1169: 1167: 1166:Singularities 1163: 1160: 1157: 1156: 1155: 1152: 1148: 1144: 1142: 1138: 1136: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1126:Tensor Fields 1123: 1119: 1116: 1115: 1114: 1111: 1103: 1098: 1096: 1091: 1089: 1084: 1083: 1081: 1080: 1074: 1064: 1061: 1056: 1050: 1049: 1048: 1047: 1040: 1039: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1028: 1025: 1023: 1020: 1018: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1005: 1003: 1000: 998: 995: 993: 990: 988: 985: 983: 980: 978: 977:Chandrasekhar 975: 973: 970: 968: 965: 963: 960: 958: 955: 953: 950: 948: 945: 943: 940: 938: 935: 933: 930: 928: 925: 923: 920: 918: 915: 913: 910: 908: 905: 903: 900: 898: 895: 893: 892:Schwarzschild 890: 888: 885: 883: 880: 878: 875: 873: 870: 869: 861: 860: 853: 852:Hartle–Thorne 850: 848: 845: 843: 840: 838: 835: 833: 830: 828: 825: 823: 820: 818: 815: 813: 810: 808: 805: 803: 800: 798: 795: 793: 790: 788: 785: 783: 780: 778: 775: 773: 770: 767: 763: 762:Schwarzschild 760: 759: 755: 749: 748: 737: 734: 732: 729: 728: 727: 726: 722: 721: 716: 713: 711: 708: 706: 703: 702: 701: 700: 696: 695: 690: 687: 685: 682: 680: 677: 675: 672: 670: 667: 665: 662: 661: 660: 659: 655: 654: 644: 641: 640: 635: 634: 623: 620: 618: 615: 613: 610: 609: 608: 607: 604: 601: 600: 595: 592: 590: 587: 585: 584:Event horizon 582: 580: 577: 575: 572: 570: 567: 565: 562: 560: 557: 555: 552: 550: 547: 546: 545: 544: 534: 533: 526: 523: 521: 518: 516: 513: 511: 508: 507: 499: 498: 493: 490: 485: 482: 480: 477: 475: 472: 471: 469: 467: 464: 463: 462: 461: 443: 440: 436: 431: 427: 422: 419: 415: 408: 403: 400: 396: 386: 382: 381: 378: 375: 374: 366: 364: 348: 340: 324: 316: 311: 297: 294: 291: 288: 280: 276: 261: 258: 255: 252: 243: 241: 237: 231: 229: 225: 221: 217: 213: 209: 198: 196: 192: 188: 184: 183: 173: 171: 169:LC Class 165: 161: 158: 157:Dewey Decimal 153: 150: 147: 145: 139: 136: 135:0-226-87033-2 133: 131: 127: 123: 119: 115: 111: 107: 103: 99: 93: 90: 87: 83: 79: 75: 72: 69: 65: 62: 59: 55: 52: 51:RenĂ© Magritte 49: 45: 42: 39: 35: 28: 23: 1727: 1708: 1690: 1661: 1657: 1653: 1647: 1622: 1618: 1614: 1608: 1583: 1579: 1575: 1569: 1550: 1522: 1506:John C. Baez 1471: 1466: 1449: 1441: 1433: 1425: 1398:Books portal 1372: 1371:argued that 1367: 1353: 1347: 1338: 1320: 1315: 1309: 1302: 1283: 1279:(hardcover). 1260: 1199: 1188:Chapter 13: 1182:Chapter 12: 1176:Chapter 11: 1170:Chapter 10: 1153: 1112: 1037: 997:Raychaudhuri 466:Introduction 312: 278: 244: 232: 204: 181: 180: 179: 1426:Gravitation 1322:Gravitation 1314:wrote that 1184:Black Holes 1164:Chapter 9: 1133:Chapter 4: 1120:Chapter 2: 1012:van Stockum 942:Oppenheimer 797:Kerr–Newman 589:Singularity 195:Robert Wald 80:Non-fiction 41:Robert Wald 1761:Categories 1578:". Books. 1458:References 1452:(textbook) 1444:(textbook) 1436:(textbook) 1428:(textbook) 1369:Lee Smolin 1331:Kip Thorne 1299:Assessment 1294:. Reprint. 1247:References 1200:Appendices 865:Scientists 697:Formalisms 645:Formalisms 594:Black hole 520:World line 337:(Newton's 162:530.1/1 19 124:xiii + 491 100:1984, 2010 1141:Cosmology 1122:Manifolds 957:Robertson 922:Friedmann 917:Eddington 907:Nordström 897:de Sitter 754:Solutions 679:Geodesics 674:Friedmann 656:Equations 642:Equations 603:Spacetime 538:Phenomena 444:ν 441:μ 432:κ 423:ν 420:μ 412:Λ 404:ν 401:μ 298:− 295:− 292:− 253:− 85:Publisher 1707:(2004). 1689:(2004). 1670:27853954 1384:See also 1254:Versions 1073:Category 937:LemaĂźtre 902:Reissner 887:PoincarĂ© 872:Einstein 817:Taub–NUT 782:Wormhole 766:interior 479:Timeline 201:Overview 149:10018614 57:Language 1627:Bibcode 1588:Bibcode 1190:Spinors 992:Hawking 987:Penrose 962:Bardeen 952:Wheeler 882:Hilbert 877:Lorentz 837:pp-wave 474:History 212:tensors 67:Subject 61:English 1734:  1715:  1697:  1668:  1557:  1529:  1361:, and 1337:, and 1333:, and 1290:  1275:  1267:  1224:, and 1071:  1038:others 1032:Thorne 1022:Newman 1002:Taylor 982:Ehlers 967:Walker 932:Zwicky 807:Kasner 341:) and 37:Author 1666:JSTOR 1250:Index 1007:Hulse 947:Gödel 927:Milne 822:Milne 787:Gödel 484:Tests 121:Pages 116:Print 77:Genre 1732:ISBN 1713:ISBN 1695:ISBN 1555:ISBN 1527:ISBN 1288:ISBN 1273:ISBN 1265:ISBN 1124:and 1017:Taub 972:Kerr 912:Weyl 792:Kerr 710:BSSN 279:only 210:for 143:OCLC 130:ISBN 1635:doi 1596:doi 1341:by 1325:by 1236:E. 1230:D. 1210:B. 1204:A. 1027:Yau 705:ADM 189:'s 1763:: 1662:74 1660:. 1633:. 1623:53 1621:. 1594:. 1584:40 1582:. 1541:^ 1513:^ 1504:. 1494:^ 1479:^ 1329:, 242:. 226:, 197:. 1740:. 1719:. 1701:. 1672:. 1641:. 1637:: 1629:: 1602:. 1598:: 1590:: 1563:. 1535:. 1101:e 1094:t 1087:v 768:) 764:( 437:T 428:= 416:g 409:+ 397:G 361:( 349:c 325:G 289:+ 262:+ 259:+ 256:+

Index


Robert Wald
René Magritte
English
General relativity
The University of Chicago Press
ISBN
0-226-87033-2
OCLC
10018614
Dewey Decimal
LC Class
Albert Einstein
general theory of relativity
Robert Wald
abstract index notation
tensors
variational-principle formulation
gravitational waves
Penrose diagrams
Hawking radiation
Hamiltonian formalism
Lagrangian formalism
sign convention
geometrized units
gravitational constant
the speed of light
General relativity
Spacetime curvature schematic
Introduction

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