Course Syllabus

Special & General Relativity

PHZ6607-7825(22705)

Class Periods: MWF Period 10 (5:10-6:00pm)

Location: NPB1002

Academic Term: Fall 2022

Instructor:

  • Richard Woodard, NPB 2065
  • woodard@phys.ufl.edu
  • +1-352-392-8744
  • Office Hours: T9 (4:05-4:55pm) and W5 (11:45-12:35pm)

Canvas Information

Canvas is the where course content, grades, and communication will reside for this course.

  • ufl.instructure.com
  • For Canvas, Passwords, or any other computer-related technical support contact the IT Service Desk.
    • 123 123-1234
    • 877 878-8325
    • http://it.myinstitution.edu
    • itsupport@myinstitution.edu

Course Description: PHZ6607 Special & General Relativity, 3 Credits, Letter Grade

Special relativity, tensor analysis, covariant electromagnetism and hydrodynamics; general relativity, Riemannian geometry, gravity as curvature, exact solutions; relativistic astrophysics, cosmology.

Course Pre-Requisites (if you are not a physics graduate student)

  • PHY6346 and PHY6347 - Graduate Electrodynamics
  • PHY6246 - Graduate Classical Mechanics

Course Objectives

The point of this course (beyond its immense general interest) is to prepare students for advanced research in topics such as gravitational waves, astrophysics, cosmology, quantum gravity and quantum field theory on curved spacetime. This will be accomplished by:

  • Understanding that simultaneity is a frame-dependent concept, and how to resolve relativistic paradoxes.
  • Understanding tensor transformation laws in special and general relativity.
  • Organizing dynamics in terms of tensor equations, and how to go back with 3+1 decompositions.
  • Understanding the nonrelativistic and the weak field correspondence limits of general relativity.
  • Understanding how gravity affects matter and how matter affects gravity.
  • Studying three special systems: black holes, gravitational radiation and FLRW cosmology. 
  • Understanding the restrictions imposed on alternate gravity theories by symmetry and stability.

Required Text

  • Spacetime and Geometry
  • Sean M. Carroll
  • 2019
  • ISBN 978-1-108-48839-6

Course Schedule

  • Day 1 (Aug. 24) Sections 1.1 - 1.2 in Carroll.
  • Day 2 (Aug. 26) Sections 1.3 - 1.5 in Carroll.
  • Day 3 (Aug. 29) Sections 1.6 - 1.7 in Carroll.
  • Homework #1 due by 5:10pm on Aug. 31
  • Day 4 (Aug. 31) Sections 1.8 - 1.9 in Carroll.
  • Day 5 (Sept. 2) Section 1.10 in Carroll.
  • Labor Day Holiday (Sept. 5)
  • Homework #2 due by 5:10pm on Sept. 7
  • Day 6 (Sept. 7) Sections 2.1 - 2.2 in Carroll.
  • Day 7 (Sept. 9) Sections 2.3 - 2.4 in Carroll.
  • Day 8 (Sept. 12) Sections 2.5 - 2.6 in Carroll.
  • Homework #3 due by 5:10pm on Sept. 14
  • Day 9 (Sept. 14) Sections 2.7 - 2.8 in Carroll.
  • Day 10 (Sept. 16) Sections 2.9 - 2.10 in Carroll.
  • Day 11 (Sept. 19) Sections 3.1 - 3.2 in Carroll.
  • Homework #4 due by 5:10pm on Sept. 21
  • Day 12 (Sept. 21) Section 3.3 - 3.4 in Carroll.
  • Day 13 (Sept. 23) Section 3.5 in Carroll.
  • Day 14 (Sept. 26)Sections 3.6 - 3.7 in Carroll.
  • Homework #5 due by 5:10pm on Sept. 28
  • Day 15 (Sept. 28) Sections 3.8 - 3.9 in Carroll.
  • Day 16 (Sept. 30) Section 3.10 in Carroll.
  • Day 17 (Oct. 3) Sections 4.1 - 4.2 in Carroll.
  • Homework #6 due by 5:10pm on Oct. 5
  • Day 18 (Oct. 5) Sections 4.3 - 4.4 in Carroll.
  • UF Homecoming Holiday (Oct. 7)
  • Day 19 (Oct. 10) Sections 4.5 - 4.6 in Carroll.
  • Homework #7 due by 5:10pm on Oct. 12
  • Day 20 (Oct. 12) Section 4.7 in Carroll.
  • Day 21 (Oct. 14) Section 4.8 in Carroll.
  • Day 22 (Oct.17) Sections 5.1 - 5.2 in Carroll.
  • Homework #8 due by 5:10pm on Oct. 19
  • Day 23 (Oct. 19) Sections 5.3 - 5.4 in Carroll.
  • Day 24 (Oct. 21) Sections 5.5 - 5.6 in Carroll.
  • Day 25 (Oct. 24) Section 5.7 in Carroll.
  • Homework #9 due by 5:10pm on Oct. 26
  • Day 26 (Oct. 26) Section 5.8 in Carroll.
  • Day 27 (Oct. 28) Sections 6.1 - 6.3 in Carroll.
  • Day 28 (Oct. 31) Sections 6.4 - 6.5 in Carroll.
  • Homework #10 due by 5:10pm on Nov. 2
  • Day 29 (Nov. 2) Section 6.6 in Carroll.
  • Day 30 (Nov. 4) Section 6.7 in Carroll.
  • Day 31 (Nov. 7) Sections 7.1 - 7.2 in Carroll.
  • Homework #11 due by 5:10pm on Nov. 9
  • Day 32 (Nov. 9) Sections 7.3 - 7.4 in Carroll.
  • Veteran's Day Holiday (Nov. 11)
  • Day 33 (Nov. 14) Section 7.5 in Carroll.
  • Homework #12 due by 5:10pm on Nov. 16
  • Day 34 (Nov. 16) Section 7.6 in Carroll.
  • Day 35 (Nov. 18) Section 7.7 in Carroll.
  • Day 36 (Nov. 21) Section 8.1 - 8.2 in Carroll.
  • Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov. 23)
  • Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov. 25)
  • Day 37 (Nov. 28) Sections 8.3 - 8.4 in Carroll.
  • Homework #13 due by 5:10pm on Nov. 30
  • Day 38 (Nov. 30) Sections 8.5 - 8.6 in Carroll.
  • Day 39 (Dec. 2) Section 8.7 in Carroll.
  • Day 40 (Dec. 5) Section 8.8 in Carroll.
  • Homework #14 due by 5:10pm on Dec. 7
  • Day 41 (Dec. 7) Final comments.

Attendance Policy, Class Expectations, and Make-Up Policy

Students are expected to attend lectures but attendance will not be taken, nor is there any penalty for absence. Class notes will be posted under ``Files''. Homework will be assigned weekly, due at the start of class on Wednesdays and returned in class on Fridays. Excusing missed assignments must be consistent with university policies in the Graduate Catalog (Link) and will require appropriate documentation.

Evaluation of Grades 

There will be no exams. The course grade will be based entirely on 14 weekly homework assignments, worth 15 points apiece.

Grading Policy (Grade cutoffs may be lowered but they will not be raised)

Percent Points
 Grade Grade Points
85 - 100 178.5 - 210.0 A 4.00
80 - 85 168.0 - 178.5 A- 3.67
75 - 80 157.5 - 168.0 B+ 3.33
70 - 75 147.0 - 157.5 B 3.00
65 - 70 136.5 - 147.0 B- 2.67
60 - 65 126.0 - 136.5 C+ 2.33
55 - 60 115.5 - 126.0 C 2.00
50 - 55 105.0 - 115.5 C- 1.67
45 - 50 94.5 - 105.0 D+ 1.33
40 - 45 84.0 - 94.5 D 1.00
35 - 40 73.5 - 84.0 D- 0.67
  0 - 35      0 - 73.5 E 0.00

Students Requiring Accommodations

Students with disabilities who experience learning barriers and would like to request academic accommodations should connect with the disability Resource Center by visiting Link . It is important for students to share their accommodation letter with their instructor and discuss their access needs, as early as possible in the semester.

Course Evaluation

Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing online evaluations at Link . Evaluations are typically open during the last two or three weeks of the semester, but students will be given specific times when they are open. Summary results of these assessments are available to students at Link .

University Honesty Policy

UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, ``We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code. On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: ``On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.'' The Honor Code (Link) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions. Furthermore, you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor.

Software Use

All faculty, staff, and students of the University are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use. Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator. Because such violations are also against University policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate. We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to uphold ourselves and our peers to the highest standard of honesty and integrity.

Student Privacy

As in all courses, unauthorized recording and unauthorized sharing of recorded materials is prohibited. Also, there are federal laws protecting your privacy with regards to grades earned in courses and on individual assignments. For more information, please see Link .

Health and Wellness

  • U Matter, We Care: If you or a friend is in distress, please contact umatter@ufl.edu or 352 392-1575 so that a team member can reach out to the student.
  • Counseling and Wellness Center: http://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc, and  392-1575; and the University Police Department: 392-1111 or 9-1-1 for emergencies.
  • Sexual Assault Recovery Services (SARS) Student Health Care Center, 392-1161.
  • University Police Department at 392-1111 (or 9-1-1 for emergencies), or http://www.police.ufl.edu/.

Academic Resources