PHYS 2216 - Introduction to Special Relativity

Fall, spring. (Classes held in first 5 1 credit. S–U grades only.

Forbidden Overlap: Students may not receive credit for both PHYS 2216 and PHYS 1116. Coregistration in this course is a requirement for registration in PHYS 2217, unless student has taken a relativity course at level of PHYS 1116 or ASTRO 1106. Prerequisites: PHYS 1112 or PHYS 2207 or permission of instructor.

G. Hoffstaetter (fall) and Staff (spring).

Introduction to Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity, including Galilean and Lorentz transformations, the Minkowski diagram, the concept of simultaneity, time dilation and Lorentz contraction, the relativistic transformations of velocity, momentum and energy, and relativistic invariance in the laws of physics. At the level of Introduction to Relativity by J. B. Kogut or first half of Special Relativity: A Modern Introduction by Hans C. Ohanian.