Introduction to General Relativity: A Course for Undergraduate Students of Physics

by Cosimo Bambi

Following the approach of Lev Landau and Evgenii Lifshitz, this book introduces the theory of special and general relativity with the Lagrangian formalism and the principle of least action. This method allows the complete theory to be constructed starting from a small number of assumptions, and is the most natural approach in modern theoretical physics. The book begins by reviewing Newtonian mechanics and Newtonian gravity with the Lagrangian formalism and the principle of least action, and then moves to special and general relativity. Most calculations are presented step by step, as is done on the board in class. The book covers recent advances in gravitational wave astronomy and provides a general overview of current lines of research in gravity. It also includes numerous examples and problems in each chapter.

Genres: Physics

356 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2018

About the author

Cosimo Bambi is an Italian relativist and cosmologist who is currently a professor of Physics at Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Bambi's research interests include strong field tests of general relativity, black holes, gravitational collapse, and physics of the early Universe. He has more than 100 publications in all the above topics and is highly cited. He has also written three monographs/books on particle cosmology, black holes, and general relativity. The Quantum Bambi effect is named after him.