The flat space of special relativity

General Relativity (Fall, 2008)

Lecture Playlist

  1. Newtonian Gravity and the equivalence principle

  2. Tidal forces and curvature

  3. Essential tools: tensors and the metric

  4. Tensor mechanics

  5. Covariant differentiation and geodesics

  6. The flat space of special relativity

  7. The Riemannian curvature tensor

  8. Equations of motion in curved space

  9. Gravitation in the Newtonian approximation

  10. Energy-momentum tensor and Einstein's equations

  11. Accelerated coordinates

  12. World lines and Schwarzschild solution

October 27, 2008
The Minkowski metric.
For flat space, there always exists a coordinate system for which the metric tensor is constant.
For flat space, the Christoffel symbols vanish.
For flat space, parallel transport moves a vector along a space curve without changing it's direction. Curvature deflects the vector during parallel transport.
Topics: 
  • Minkowski space
  • Parallel transport
References