Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Special Relativity

An Introduction with 200 Problems and Solutions

  • Textbook
  • © 2010

Overview

Authors:
  1. Michael Tsamparlis

    1. Dept. Astrophysics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • Presents the relativistic collisions in a new geometric way and prepares the student for the next steps into Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity
  • Provides a full overview of the mathematics needed to understand special relativity
  • Consolidated unit of math, physics and application examples
  • 200 carefully selected and worked out problems with solutions available online
  • Understand special relativity without much help from the instructor
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Log in via an institution
eBook USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (16 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Mathematical Part

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 1-53

  3. The Structure of the Theories of Physics

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 55-66

  4. Newtonian Physics

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 67-86

  5. The Foundation of Special Relativity

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 87-115

  6. The Physics of the Position Four-Vector

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 117-154

  7. Relativistic Kinematics

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 155-183

  8. Four-Acceleration

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 185-252

  9. Paradoxes

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 253-264

  10. Mass – Four-Momentum

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 265-282

  11. Relativistic Reactions

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 283-324

  12. Four-Force

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 325-375

  13. Irreducible Decompositions

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 377-393

  14. The Electromagnetic Field

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 395-494

  15. Relativistic Angular Momentum

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 495-519

  16. The Covariant Lorentz Transformation

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 521-554

  17. Geometric Description of Relativistic Interactions

    • Michael Tsamparlis
    Pages 555-588

  18. Back Matter

    Pages 589-595
    Download chapter PDF
Back to top

Keywords

About this book

Writing a new book on the classic subject of Special Relativity, on which numerous important physicists have contributed and many books have already been written, can be like adding another epicycle to the Ptolemaic cosmology. Furthermore, it is our belief that if a book has no new elements, but simply repeats what is written in the existing literature, perhaps with a different style, then this is not enough to justify its publication. However, after having spent a number of years, both in class and research with relativity, I have come to the conclusion that there exists a place for a new book. Since it appears that somewhere along the way, mathem- ics may have obscured and prevailed to the degree that we tend to teach relativity (and I believe, theoretical physics) simply using “heavier” mathematics without the inspiration and the mastery of the classic physicists of the last century. Moreover current trends encourage the application of techniques in producing quick results and not tedious conceptual approaches resulting in long-lasting reasoning. On the other hand, physics cannot be done a ´ la carte stripped from philosophy, or, to put it in a simple but dramatic context A building is not an accumulation of stones! As a result of the above, a major aim in the writing of this book has been the distinction between the mathematics of Minkowski space and the physics of r- ativity.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Dept. Astrophysics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Michael Tsamparlis

Bibliographic Information

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Back to top

Search

Navigation