Science > Physics > FYI: General relativity in the undergraduate physics curriculum
| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Sam Wormley" |
| Date: |
04 Mar 2006 11:28:01 AM |
| Object: |
FYI: General relativity in the undergraduate physics curriculum |
General relativity in the undergraduate physics curriculum
James B. Hartle
Department of Physics, University of California,
Santa Barbara, California 93106-9530
American Journal of Physics --
January 2006 -- Volume 74, Issue 1, pp. 14-21
http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=AJPIAS000074000001000014000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes
Einstein's general relativity is increasingly important in
contemporary physics on the frontiers of very large distance scales
(astrophysics and cosmology) and very small length scales (elementary
particle physics). This paper makes the case for a "physics first"
approach to introducing general relativity to undergraduate physics
majors. ©2006 American Association of Physics Teachers
.
|
|
| User: "Bruce Scott TOK" |
|
| Title: Re: FYI: General relativity in the undergraduate physics curriculum |
06 Mar 2006 07:11:39 AM |
|
|
Sam W wrote:
James B. Hartle
American Journal of Physics --
January 2006 -- Volume 74, Issue 1, pp. 14-21
Einstein's general relativity is increasingly important in
contemporary physics on the frontiers of very large distance scales
(astrophysics and cosmology) and very small length scales (elementary
particle physics). This paper makes the case for a "physics first"
approach to introducing general relativity to undergraduate physics
majors.
Isn't Rindler (Essential Relativity) already good enough for that?
At Oregon St in 1979 they used an Ohanian text for relativity which
included GR. One of those borderline senior/beginner-grad books which
undergrads can deal with if they're motivated enough.
--
ciao,
Bruce
drift wave turbulence: http://www.rzg.mpg.de/~bds/
.
|
|
|
|
| User: "PD" |
|
| Title: Re: FYI: General relativity in the undergraduate physics curriculum |
06 Mar 2006 09:05:00 AM |
|
|
Sam Wormley wrote:
General relativity in the undergraduate physics curriculum
James B. Hartle
Department of Physics, University of California,
Santa Barbara, California 93106-9530
American Journal of Physics --
January 2006 -- Volume 74, Issue 1, pp. 14-21
http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=3Dnormal&id=3D=
AJPIAS000074000001000014000001&idtype=3Dcvips&gifs=3Dyes
Einstein's general relativity is increasingly important in
contemporary physics on the frontiers of very large distance scales
(astrophysics and cosmology) and very small length scales (elementary
particle physics). This paper makes the case for a "physics first"
approach to introducing general relativity to undergraduate physics
majors. =A92006 American Association of Physics Teachers
A colleague and I actually created a course for freshman who planned to
major in physics that was intended to precede the general physics
course. It taught special relativity and particle physics. It was well
subscribed, but there was no good textbook to accomodate the need.
As it turns out, it's remarkable enough a change for a general physics
book to teach conservation of momentum and energy prior to a discussion
of Newton's laws. (In doing so, it turns out that the Newton's laws
discussion becomes much, much smaller.) There are a couple of "reform"
titles in development that do precisely this. I believe Eric Mazur of
Harvard is the author of one of these.
PD
.
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
