SCHEDULE
MTH 437/537 — Spring 2021


This is a rough schedule showing which topic we will cover when. All dates are subject to change.
Most topic links refer to my book on general relativity; others refer to my books on special relativity and differential forms. Each of the links above points to the wiki version of the book, which is not quite the same as the published version.

(last update 5/30/21)

  Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Week 1
(Mar/Apr)
29    Line Elements
Circle Geometry
Hyperbola Geometry
30
 
 
31
Geometry of SR
 
1
 
 
2
Physics of SR
 
Week 2
(Apr)
5
Geodesics
Examples of Geodesics
6
 
 
7
Symmetries
Polar & Spherical
8
 
 
9
Polar & Spherical
Schwarzschild Metric
Week 3
(Apr)
12    Physics of GR
Schwarzschild Metric
Properties
13
 
 
14
Schwarzschild Geodesics
Schwarzschild Orbits
15
 
 
16
Circular Orbits
Null Orbits
Week 4
(Apr)
19
Radial Geodesics
 
20
 
 
21
Rain Coordinates
 
22
 
 
23
Observers
Rain Coordinates
Week 5
(Apr/May)
26    Rindler Geometry
Rindler Geodesics
Extending Rindler
27
 
 
28
Extending Schwarzschild
Kruskal Geometry
29
 
 
30
Penrose Diagrams
 
Week 6
(May)
3
Review
4
 
5
Midterm
6
 
7
Go over midterm
Week 7
(May)
10
Tidal Forces
Geodesic Deviation
11
 
 
12
Geodesic Deviation
Matter, Dust
13
 
 
14
Einstein Equation I
Conservation Laws
Week 8
(May)
17    Einstein Tensor
Einstein Equation II
Cosmological Constant
18
 
 
19
Birkhoff's Theorem
 
20
 
 
21
Cosmology
Cosmological Principle
Week 9
(May)
24
Constant Curvature
Robertson–Walker
25
 
 
26
The Big Bang
Friedmann Models I, II
27
 
 
28    Missing Matter
Standard Models
Cosmological Redshift
Week 10
(Jun)
31
Memorial Day
 
1
 
 
2
Gravitational Waves
 
3
 
 
4
Rotating Black Holes
 
Finals
(Jun)
7
 
8
Final
9
 
10
 
11