Part I
Special Relativity in Review
Most undergraduate physics students have studied special relativity by the time they
are seniors and are familiar with its basic ideas, such as the Lorentz transformation
and length contraction and time dilation. However, they may not have been fully
exposed to the geometric point of view of spacetime and may not appreciate the
formalism and power of four vectors and tensors. Part I has been included for such
students, as well as for readers without a background in special relativity. Those
confident with their understanding may of course skip or skim this part.
Chapter 1 is a simple review of what most students encounter in a modern physics
course, a discussion of time in a universe with a constant velocity of light, and the
consequences of the relativity of time such as time dilation and length contraction.
Chapter 2 uses more sophisticated mathematics in a discussion of the Lorentz
group and vectors and tensors in spacetime. One important goal is to prepare the
reader for the more general vector and tensor algebra and analysis used later in Part II.
Chapter 3 is devoted to the motion of particles, their energy and momentum and
acceleration, and emphasizes the geometric view of motion in spacetime. In particular
It demonstrates that special relativity is not limited to motion at constant velocity, a
misconception that is sometimes encountered.
Special Relativity in Review
Most undergraduate physics students have studied special relativity by the time they
are seniors and are familiar with its basic ideas, such as the Lorentz transformation
and length contraction and time dilation. However, they may not have been fully
exposed to the geometric point of view of spacetime and may not appreciate the
formalism and power of four vectors and tensors. Part I has been included for such
students, as well as for readers without a background in special relativity. Those
confident with their understanding may of course skip or skim this part.
Chapter 1 is a simple review of what most students encounter in a modern physics
course, a discussion of time in a universe with a constant velocity of light, and the
consequences of the relativity of time such as time dilation and length contraction.
Chapter 2 uses more sophisticated mathematics in a discussion of the Lorentz
group and vectors and tensors in spacetime. One important goal is to prepare the
reader for the more general vector and tensor algebra and analysis used later in Part II.
Chapter 3 is devoted to the motion of particles, their energy and momentum and
acceleration, and emphasizes the geometric view of motion in spacetime. In particular
It demonstrates that special relativity is not limited to motion at constant velocity, a
misconception that is sometimes encountered.