Practical Relativity [antikvár]

Preface This book is entitled Practical Relativity. Many of you (I hope that there will be many) will wonder why, once confronted with the dense forest of equations. I can only say that in places I have used words to explain conceptual points. However I think that what makes it 'practical' rests primarily on two other things. I have started at the beginning of the subject and gone nearly to the end. Moreover, insofar as I have been able to navigate between tedium and necessity, I have included all of the steps that lead to important results. This is, I think, a characteristic of 'practicality'. Both of these themes should be appreciated by serious students. Problems are included that elucidate the ideas, and these should be appreciated by professors. A solutions manual, containing answers to the problems, is available at www.wiley.com/go/henriksen. My approach has been to regard fundamental principles 'eye to eye', so that any possible alternatives to the traditional arguments may become evident. Most derivations are from first principles. I have not cluttered the book with every possible application of the theory, but the grand classics are present. I believe, however, and I hope that you will agree, that the presentation of the necessary techniques has been comprehensive. I have not used the latest mathematical treatments of vectors and tensors, as found for example in the Cartan calculus. My approach has been to remain as close as possible to familiar concepts of vectors, tensors and reference systems in the hope of capitalizing on received wisdom. I believe that this is another practical aspect. There are many books on this subject, and in the course of my writing I have enjoyed reading many of them. They are referred to throughout the book. I do believe that the present book is not quite the same as the others, mainly due to the attempt to distinguish the positivist approach from the theoretical. While one measures, the other imagines although in the end the loop must be closed. I have also attempted to cast light on dark corners. I have enjoyed exploring the comers, and I hope that this book will also help you to explore and enjoy them. "Why, I'd like nothing better than to achieve some bold adventure worthy of our trip." Aristophanes, 450-385 BC