Individual course details
Study programme Theoretical and Experimental Physics
Chosen research area (module)  
Nature and level of studies Undergraduate Studies
Name of the course Special Relativity
Professor (lectures) Marija Dimitrijevic Ciric
Professor/associate (examples/practical)  
Professor/associate (additional)  
ECTS 2 Status (required/elective) required
Access requirements Physical mechanics, Mathematical physics 1
Aims of the course Introduction to Special Relativity: basic concepts, techniques, results.
Learning outcomes Students understand the importance of Special Relativity for modern physics. They understand two postulates of Special Relativity and their consequences: length contraction, time dilation, the "twin paradox", dynamics of relativistic particles. They can understand and solve related problems.
Contents of the course
Lectures 1. Why Special Relativity (SR): Maxwell's equations, Michelson–Morley experiment. 2. SR postulates. 3. Lorentz transformations: derivation, properties. 4. Consequences of Lorentz transformations: time dilatation, contraction of length, addition of velocities. 5.  Paradoxes of SR.. 6. Covariant formulation of SR: space-time, space-time diagrams, causality. 7.Covariant formulation of SR: tensors, definition, properties, operations with tensors. 8. Mechanics of SR: four-vectors of velocity and momentum, force and energy, covariant formulation of Newton's second law of mechanics. 9. Conservation of momenta, scattering, examples. 10. Action for a relativistic particle. 11. Preview of General Relativity: equivalence principle, red shift in gravitational field.
Examples/ practical classes  
Recommended books
1 V. Radovanovic, Special Relativity, lecture notes.
2 P. Schwarz, J. Schwarz, SPECIAL RELATIVITY From Einstein to Strings, Cambridge University Press.
3 T. Takeuchi, An Illustrated Guide to Relativity, Cambridge University Press.
4 B. Schutz, A First Course in General Realtivity, Cambridge University Press.
5  
Number of classes (weekly)
Lectures Examples&practicals   Student project Additional
2        
Teaching and learning methods Lectures, solving problems, homework, seminars.
Assessment (maximal 100)
assesed coursework mark examination mark
coursework 10 written examination 80
practicals   oral examination  
papers      
presentations 10