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Special Relativity (Fall 2016)
General: ( This webpage is updated gradually) - Last Update 30 January 2017
This is a B.Sc. course, which will be held in Physics Department of Sharif University of Technology.
Class Time: Saturdays and Mondays 9:00 - 10:30
Place: Physics Department - Physics 3
Office Hours: Sundays and Tuesdays 9:00 - 10:00 (Or by appointment - Email: baghram@sharif.edu)
Registered students: 37
About the Course:
This is an introductory course on Special Relativity. The aim is to understand one of the greatest science achievements, understand the structure of space and time when the gravity is absent.
Teacher Assitants:
Mr. Mohammad Ansari (Head of TA group) Email address: m.ansari1373@gmail.com
and in alphabetical order:
Mr. Mostafa Asemani
Mr. Mehregan Doroudiani
Mr. Mahdi Ghezloo
Mr. Oveis Shiebani
TA Class Group 1: Sundays 15:00 - 16:30 in Physics 3
TA Class Group 2: Mondays 15:00 - 16:30 in Physics 1
Grading:
Mid-term 1 : 4 points YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS HERE. Saturday 5 November 2016 / 15 Aban 1395 @ 8:30 - 10:30 / Alef 3
Mid-term 2: 5 points YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS HERE. Saturday 10 December 2016 / 20 Azar 1395 @ 8:30 - 10:30
Assignments: 4 points ( 3 points for problems sets 1 point for Quizzes)
Projects: 1.5 point Presentation date: (Must be a very high quality project) Monday 26 December 2016 / 6 day 1395 @ 8:30-10:30
Presentation Day: Monday 4 Bahman 95 - 23 January 2017 @ 9:00
Final Exam: 7 points YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS HERE. Wednesday 11 January 2017 / 22 Day 1395 @ 9:00 - 12:00
Total grade: from 21.5 YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL GRADING HERE
Suggested Reading:
Main guidline: Relativity: Special general and Cosmology: Wolfgang Rindler 2006
نسبیت خاص- شهرام خسروی و رضا منصوری انتشارات دانشگاه صنعتی شریف 1389
Introduction to Classical Mechanics: David Morin Cambridge University Press 2008
Basic Relativity, R.A. Mould, 1994, chapter 1,2,3
Special Relativity: An Introduction with 200 Problems and Solutions: Michael Tsamparlis, springer 2010
Special Relativity, David W. Hoggs, 1997, whole lecture
Special Relativity : A. P. French 1968
Classical Electrodynamics, J.D. Jackson, 1999 third edition Chapter 11.6 and 11.7
Spacetime and Geometry: Introduction to General Relativity, Sean Carroll, Addison Wesley 2004 Chapter 1 -2
Introducing Einstein's Relativity, Ray d'Inverno, Oxford University Press- Chapter 5
Classical Mechanics: Goldstein, Poole and Safko, Addison Wesley 2002 Chapter 7
Gravitation: Foundation and Frontiers T.Padmanabhan, Cambridge University Press: 2010 Chapter 1
For Classical Field Theory and Special Relativity you can refer to:
1) A modern introduction to quantum field theory by Michele Maggiore Oxford University Press - 2005
2) An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory by Daniel V. Schroeder and Michael Peskin (1995)
3) David Tong: Lectures on Quantum Field Theory - Cambridge University
Lectrure Notes and Presentations:
Classical Field Theory and Special Relativity
Lorentz Group and Thomas Precession
Time Line of Lectures:
Lecture 1: ( Saturday - 17 Sep 2016)
a) An introduction to the class routines and regulations, grading and etc… b) A historical perspective on the concept of space – time c) Newtonian Mechanics, Absolute space and Time, Galilean Transformations d) Beyond Newtonian absoluteness
Lecture 2: ( Monday - 19 Sep 2016)
a) Galilean transformation and the invariance of newton laws. B) Maxwell Equations and Galilean transformations c) he concept of aether d)Michelson-Morley experiment
Lecture 3: (Saturday - 24 Sep 2016)
The introduction to Lorentz Transformation
Lecture 4: ( Monday - 26 Sep 2016)
Lorentz Transformation and the spirit of SR
Lecture 5 : ( Saturday - 1 Oct 2016 )
Invariance of Space-time length
Lecture 6 : ( Monday 3 Oct 2016)
The Special Relativity - Lorentz transformation - Time dilation and Length Contraction.
Lecture 7 : ( Saturday 8 Oct 2016 )
The space time diagram of Minkowski I
Lecture 8 : ( Monday 10 Oct 2016)
The space time diagram of Minkowski II
Lecture 9 : ( Saturday 15 Oct 2016)
The concept of rapidity is discussed. The Length contraction paradoxes is proposed.
Lecture 10 : (Monday 17 Oct 2016)
Accelerated particles in Special Relativity.
The paradox of garage and car is studied. The concept of special acceleration is discussed as well.
The paradox of the car and garage re-studied with the Minkowski diagrams. The paradox of the rotating disc and its relation to the geometry is discussed as well.
The Special Relativity and Optics: Doppler Effect - Aberration
The Minkowski space-time, Minkowski metric and the the concept of covariant and contravariant 4-vectors is discussed.
The concept of 4-vector is discussed.
The concept of 4-Momentum, conservation of momentum and mass-energy relation is discussed.
Dynamic of SR is discussed. The Compton scattering is studied.
A couple of problems related to the dynamic of SD is solved including the relativistic interactions.
Electrodynamics - On field tensors and solving problems in Special relativistic Electrodynamic I
Electrodynamics - On field tensors and solving problems in Special relativistic Electrodynamic II
Classical Field Theory and Special Relativity
Thomas Precession and special relativity - Einstein in Pictures
Assignments:
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Essays - Projects:
The projects and essays for this course must be prepared in high quality in science and presentation. It must be match with standards of presentations. The grading for this part as it is optional is very strict. So do not put your time for this unless you are determined to do a high quality job.
Classic Papers:
Einstein paper on Special Relativity 1905 - In German and its English translation
Useful Links:
Introduction to Special Relativity by Bruce Knuteson : MIT course 2005 : click here
Relativity by Max Tegmak: MIT open course 2006: click here
Special Relativity course
taught in Standford by Susskind (Spring 2012):
click here