Class (11), 2/12/04, Highlights

New material, S3 of TB1, Spacetime and Gravity (General Relativity )

* From special relativity to general relativity, their differences and specifically in what sense one is special and the other is general.
* Highlights of the new material were given.
    N1. The three-dimensional space we live in is an Euclidean space. The Pythogoras theorem holds true in the space.
    N2. Three space plus one time, or (3+1) spacetime, is the Minkowski space, in which the Minkowski theorem replaces the Pythogoras theorem.
    N3. (3+1) spacetime plus matter lead to warped spacetime, the general relativity.
        N3a. Equivalence principle. See text of TB1 and HW 6
        N3b. Gravitational time dilation and light red shift. See text of TB1 and HW6.
        N3c. In curved (or warped) spacetime, geodesics ("straight lines" in curved spacetime) replace straight lines in Euclidean space. See Fig. 3.12 of TB1, and HW6, multiple-choice problem 3.
    N4. Observational verifications of general relativity
        N4a. Precession of the perihelion of the Mercury. See text of TB1 and HW6.
        N4b. Bending of light in gravitational field, gravitational lensing.
        N4c. Gravitational time dilation and red shift of light .
        N4d. Observation by Hulse and Taylor the decrease of orbital period of binary star system, consistant with the consequence from gravitational  wave emission..

* Multiple choice problems, 1 to 7, are related to general relativity.  
* Nova video, edited by Chau, about Einstein and his general relativity was show.
* Reading assignment for TB2 are chapter 7, on supresymmetry, and chapter 8 (on higher dimensions); Multiple choice problems 8 and 9 are about these topics.
* Comments were made about the three short-answer problems. They are related to the Quiz 2 material serving as a partial review for Quiz 2.
* Also Chau pointed out that material covered for Quiz 2 can be put in the context of her List of 10C (Constancy), listed in the previous class web page. She will create a separate page for List of 10C.
* Chau also made it clear that "Only those course material  in writing (during the lectures, in the class highlights, HWs, and TB1, and TB2) will be in the exams. (Those in TB1 and TB2, but not written down in the lectures or not in HWs, will be less than 30% of the contents of the exam.) Hopefully, with this clarification, students will enjoy more during the lecture, and will not feel presured by those web links on Chau's course web.


********************* Below, posted before the class *************
Quiz2 reminder and Class preview  

Quiz 2 Reminder
(Now this is removed to the link "Guidelines for Exams and Quiz 2," and expanded. Please review.)


New Policy annoucement:

For any rebuttal in the future, please send Chau an e-mail and give her the full copy of the HW or quiz involved (if she is not in the office, please slide under her door).. Using e-mail has many advantages: e.g., it can be filed in compter and, more importantly, the communication can be faster and easier for refinment and further communications. Thanks. (This revision is now made in the Syllabus.)


Class preview

* We will wrap up S2 on Space time.
*  Video of Einstein and his general relativity will shown.
* We will begin S3 on Spacetime and Gravity
* Reading assignments of S3 of TB1 and of p.166 - p.299 of TB2 will begin.
* We will begin to review for Quiz 2.



Please read the following before you fill out the sign-up sheet.

(We will follow this routine notation from now on. Please try to review the class web page and have the answers ready before class. )

Sign-up items, Class 11, 2/12/04 
(1) Finished reading TB1, S2, Space and Time?   Y, or N.
(2)  Finished reading p. 117-p.163 of TB2?    Y, or N.
(3) Initial.