ANNOUNCEMENTS
MTH 437/537 (Spring 1999)

(Some files referred to below are password protected; see me for access.)

6/2/99
The take-home final will be handed out in class Friday 6/4, and is due in my office Monday 6/7 at noon.
It may be possible for some students to take the exam from Monday to Wednesday instead. If you wish to do this,

** PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE CLASS ON FRIDAY **

6/1/99
The solutions to HW #4 have been slightly expanded.

5/28/99
The solutions to HW #4 have been posted.

5/25/99
A minor typo in HW 4 has been corrected:

The variables t,x,y,z in the first line should instead have been T,X,Y,Z.
HINT for HW 4: Don't forget the definitions of sinh(X) and cosh(X) in terms of the exponential function!

5/17/99
HW 4 (global structure) has been posted, and is due on Friday, 5/28/99.

5/12/99
Solutions to the midterm have been posted outside my office. Grading scale is roughly:

30-39=C, 40-49=B, 50-60=A

5/9/99
More Midterm Clarifications:

  • Problem 1:
    In part (a), "only if" is the converse of "if".
    The 4-velocity u is at rest in the given coordinates; most of its components are zero.
  • Problem 2:
    In part (c), "both cases" refers to parts (a) and (b).
    In part (d), "null" is the same as "lightlike". What does this tell you about the length of the curve?
    If necessary, guess the answer to part (e) and move on to part (f).

    5/8/99
    Midterm Clarifications:

  • Problem 1:
    In part (a), "is only possible if" means the same thing as "is possible only if".
    Part (c) refers to the entire problem, not just to part (b).
    If you use the text's definition of a perfect fluid, be sure to remember that its metric is -1 times ours.
    The perfect fluid is at rest in the given coordinate system.
  • Problem 2:
    A "graph of a vs. tau" should have precisely 2 axes, labeled a and tau.
  • Other:
    Kidder Hall might be locked Sunday afternoons; try the main doors on both sides of the building.
    If it's locked, find a phone and call me, and I'll come let you in.
    I will not be in my office on Monday from shortly before noon until just after 2 PM.

    5/5/99
    The take-home midterm will be handed out in class Friday 5/7, and is due in class Monday 5/10 at 3 PM.

    4/30/99
    The solutions to HW #3 have been posted.

    4/29/99
    The direct method for entering a metric using GRTensor, as described in the original version of my notes on algebraic computing, does not work. Instead, use makeg. My notes have been revised to reflect this.

    4/28/99
    The deadline for HW 3 has been extended until Friday, 4/30/99.
    The software used in today's demonstration is called GRTensorII, and is freely available at

    http://www.astro.queensu.ca/~grtensor/GRHome.html
    It should run on any platform which runs Maple.

    4/27/99
    The "sphere" referred to throughout HW 3 is the SURFACE of a solid sphere (more correctly called a ball). It is a 2-dimensional surface; r is NOT a coordinate.

    4/23/99
    My notes on the bare bones of calculating curvature have been posted.
    You may find these notes helpful when working the homework problems.

    4/21/99
    I have slightly revised the solutions to HW #2.

    4/19/99
    HW 3 (the sphere) has been posted, and is due on Wednesday, 4/28/99.
    The solutions to HW #2 will be posted after class today.
    My notes on algebraic computing in relativity have been posted.
    You may find these notes helpful when working the homework problems; please see the ground rules.

    4/14/99
    In HW 2, a 4-vector is classified as null (also called lightlike) if its "squared length" is zero, spacelike if it is positive ("more space than time"), and timelike if it is negative ("more time than space"). Furthermore, two 4-vectors are parallel if they are multiples of each other, and orthogonal if their (metric) product is zero.

    4/9/99
    HW 2 (tensor algebra) has been posted, and is due on Monday, 4/19/99.
    The solutions to HW #1 have been posted.

    4/7/99
    My notes on covariant derivatives and curvature have been posted. There is a very quick summary of tensor algebra in the Appendix.

    4/5/99
    Copies of both readings on the twin paradox listed in the syllabus have been posted outside my office.

    4/2/99
    HW 1 (special relativity paradox) is due next Friday, 4/9/99.

    3/31/99
    Chapter 9 of the text makes good background reading for the physical principles behind general relativity, as briefly discussed on Monday. In particular, there is a lengthy discussion of Mach's principle in §9.2.

    3/29/99
    My notes on the geometry of special relativity have been posted.
    HW 0 (send me email) was assigned today (new students only); please try to get to this by the end of the week.
    HW 1 (special relativity paradox) is available; due date to be announced.