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Title: Introduction to Tensor Calculus, Relativity and Cosmology
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Manufacturer: Dover Publications
List Price: $15.95
Our Price: $9.43
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| Customer Reviews: |
| Introduction to Tensor Calculus, Relativity and Cosmology by Dover Publications Tensor Fun |
| I have bought a bunch of books on Tensors, and in this one you actually get to do calculations, its the only one I have found of this sort. I am in the process of reading this book, but so far its a five star. I also looked up Lawden on the Internet and he was involved in a lot of early space research and was sought after by alot of companies, a must book for anyone serious in research. One last note, you need to get the answers for the questions to see techniques of his style. |
| Introduction to Tensor Calculus, Relativity and Cosmology by Dover Publications Excellent book for self learners |
I'm really impressed with the clarity of the material.
I've worked through 21 problems in chapter 2, and the answers to the exercies do not have a single mistake in them yet.
The publisher will also email you a .pdf file of all of the chapter problems worked out in detail. I've found the solutions to the problems to be a good supplement to the text itself.
I would buy other titles from this author and publisher. |
| Introduction to Tensor Calculus, Relativity and Cosmology by Dover Publications Good introduction to the topic |
This book is very good for those seeking an introduction to Tensor Calculus, Relativity and Cosmology. Nothing more than a basic and fundamental know-how of physics is required, atleast for the first few chapters. If you're comfortable with the simple basics of linear algebra, classical mechanics, electromagnetics and calculus, you should have no problem with this book.
The book starts out with a basic review of classical physics and very quickly progresses to the Lorentz Transformation, and then to Cartesian Tensors and Special Relativity. Lawden handles the flow quite well, and covers the basic Special Relativity mechanics & electrodynamics as well as general Tensor Calculus & Riemann Spaces. Finally, he proceeds to discuss the General Theory of Relativity with a strong focus on Black Holes & Gravitational waves and analyzes elements of Cosmology in the light of the General Theory of Relativity.
However, I would not recommend this book in and of itself for learning Tensor Calculus. Unfortunately, Lawden does not have any relevant references to Quantum Mechanics, either, which would have proven to be immensely useful to the novice reader. You'd also do well to brush up on your physics fundamentals before jumping head-on.
This book primarily acts as a very basic introduction to those that are not familiar with some aspects of elementary modern physics such as Tensor Calculus and Relativity, and does an extremely good job of that.
Personally, I'd highly recommend this book if you're looking to read up on Relativity & related areas. |
| Introduction to Tensor Calculus, Relativity and Cosmology by Dover Publications The easiest and the cheapest technical introduction to GR |
| There are many books on General Relativity but the reader has to be careful to pick the right one so as not to waste his (or rarely her) time and money! Lawden's book belongs to the class of technical introductions - it requires you to have an undergraduate background in physics and mathematics. The author is primarily a teacher and he has taken care to make the material as easy to understand as possible. On the other hand, this book will not enable you to go directly to the research literature. A great plus of the book is the very reasonable price. I have had the infuriating experience of paying more than $100 for a highly praised textbook only to find it unreadable. The mathematical formalism Lawden employs (tensor calculus based on covariant and contravariant tensors) is now considered old fashioned but it is still the easiest for a beginner in my opinion. Once you have finished this book, I recommend that you read Synge and Schild's "Tensor Calculus" for more depth in the mathematics and also "The Principle of Relativity" (a collection of original papers by Einstein and others) to get a feeling for the history of the subject. Both of these are also Dover paperbacks and very cheap. Then if you want a more modern approach, I recommend Schutz's "A First Course in General Relativity" which is still reasonably priced and will bring you closer to the level of contemporary research. Schutz uses a formalism of tensor calculus which aligns it with differential geometry and is now used in advanced textbooks. |
| Introduction to Tensor Calculus, Relativity and Cosmology by Dover Publications Product Description |
Elementary introduction pays special attention to aspects of tensor calculus and relativity that students find most difficult. Contents include tensors in curved spaces and application to general relativity theory; black holes; gravitational waves; application of general relativity principles to cosmology. Numerous exercises. Solution guide available upon request. 1982 edition.
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