Postgraduate Science

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General Relativity

Curvature, geodesics, and Einstein's equations.

Spacetime is a 4-manifold with metric $g_{\mu\nu}$. The Levi-Civita connection $\Gamma^\lambda_{\mu\nu}$ is metric-compatible and torsion-free. Curvature: Riemann $R^\rho_{\ \sigma\mu\nu}$, Ricci $R_{\mu\nu}$, scalar $R$. Einstein's field equations:

$$G_{\mu\nu} = R_{\mu\nu} - \tfrac{1}{2}g_{\mu\nu}R = \frac{8\pi G}{c^4} T_{\mu\nu}.$$

Free particles follow geodesics $\ddot x^\mu + \Gamma^\mu_{\alpha\beta}\dot x^\alpha \dot x^\beta = 0$. The Bianchi identity $\nabla^\mu G_{\mu\nu} = 0$ forces $\nabla^\mu T_{\mu\nu} = 0$.

Interactive: light bending near a mass

Photon trajectory through Schwarzschild geometry. Move the mass slider to see deflection grow.

Quiz

1. Einstein's field equations relate $G_{\mu\nu}$ to:
2. Free-falling particles follow:
3. $\nabla^\mu G_{\mu\nu} = 0$ (Bianchi) forces:
4. The Schwarzschild event horizon is at:
5. Adding a cosmological constant modifies Einstein's equations to: