Unit details

PHYS5010 Differential Geometry and General Relativity

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Semester 2	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Content

This unit builds on a solid foundation of mathematics and physics established at the undergraduate levels in Physics and develops some of the major elements of modern theoretical physics at an advanced level. The unit is comprised of the following two related 18 lecture modules with their objectives below: (2) Differential Geometry for Physicists; and (2) General Relativity.

The general aims of Differential Geometry for Physicists are to introduce the following elements of modern differential geometry and demonstrate their use in the context of modern physics: manifolds; differential forms; Riemannian geometry; De Rham theory; Lie groups and Lie algebras.

The general aims of General Relativity are (1) to study the physical principles and the mathematical methods of Einstein's General Relativity; and (2) to study several important exactly solved problems in General Relativity (including the Schwarzschild solution, the geodesic motion of massive and massless particles in de Sitter and anti-de Sitter spaces etc.).

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) communicate central ideas and concepts involved in differential geometry and advanced electrodynamics; (2) explain the relationships between the physical principles that apply in differential geometry and advanced electrodynamics; and (3) solve advanced problems in theoretical physics in the context of differential geometry and advanced electrodynamics..

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) assignments and (2) final examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.

For units commencing in May 2022 or later the availability of the supplementary assessment is subject to confirmation.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Except where supplementary assessment is not available in a unit, it will be offered to students in all units who:

• Are in good academic standing overall;
• Have passed over half the units taken in the teaching period concerned, except where they are only enrolled in two or less units in the period;
• Have submitted all assessment items in the unit;
• Have achieved a mark between 45 and 49 for the unit overall, or the same mark in any failed component item in the unit; and
• No finding of academic misconduct has been made against them in the unit concerned.

Additionally student may apply for supplementary assessment in any unit which is the final unit required for graduation in there course and where they have achieved a mark between 45 and 49 for the unit overall, or the same mark in any failed component item in the unit.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Evgeny Bukhbinder

Unit rules

Prerequisites:

Enrolment in ( HON-MTHST Mathematics and Statistics or HON-PHYSC Physics or CM015 Bachelor of Science Frontier Physics and Master of Physics or 53560 Master of Physics ) and ( completion of the core units in the Physics major or equivalent ) and PHYS3011 Mathematical Physics

Co-requisites:

Nil

Advisable prior study:

PHYS4010 Symmetry Principles in Physics (ID 5141) and PHYS4415 Special Topics in Physics I (ID 4213)

Incompatibility:

Nil

Contact hours

Lectures: 3 x 45 minutes per week; Practical Classes: 1 x 45 minutes per week.