Mathematics

Along with quantum theory, general relativity is one of the central pillars of modern theoretical physics with wide-ranging implications for astrophysics and high energy physics. The essential idea is that gravitation is a manifestation of the curvature of spacetime rather than a force in the Newtonian sense.  This course will provide students with a basic working understanding of general relativity and an introduction to important applications such as black holes and cosmology.  Contents: review and geometric interpretation of special relativity, foundations of general relativity, linearized gravity and classical tests, black holes, cosmology. Note: this course is cross-listed as PHYS 4983. Credit cannot be obtained for both MATH 4483 and PHYS 4983.