This textbook offers a geometric perspective on special relativity, bridging Euclidean space, hyperbolic space, and Einstein’s spacetime in one accessible, self-contained volume. Using tools tailored to undergraduates, the author explores Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries, gradually building from intuitive to abstract spaces. By the end, readers will have encountered a range of topics, from isometries to the Lorentz–Minkowski plane, building an understanding of how geometry can be used to model special relativity. Beginning with intuitive spaces, such as the Euclidean plane and the sphere, a structure theorem for isometries is introduced that serves as a foundation for increasingly sophisticated topics, such as the hyperbolic plane and the Lorentz–Minkowski plane. By gradually introducing tools throughout, the author offers readers an accessible pathway to visualizing increasingly abstract geometric concepts. Numerous exercises are also included with selected solutions provided. Geometry: from Isometries to Special Relativity offers a unique approach to non-Euclidean geometries, culminating in a mathematical model for special relativity. The focus on isometries offers undergraduates an accessible progression from the intuitive to abstract; instructors will appreciate the complete instructor solutions manual available online. A background in elementary calculus is assumed.

An introduction to semi-Riemannian geometry as a foundation for general relativity Semi-Riemannian Geometry: The Mathematical Language of General Relativity is an accessible exposition of the mathematics underlying general relativity. The book begins with background on linear and multilinear algebra, general topology, and real analysis. This is followed by material on the classical theory of curves and surfaces, expanded to include both the Lorentz and Euclidean signatures. The remainder of the book is devoted to a discussion of smooth manifolds, smooth manifolds with boundary, smooth manifolds with a connection, semi-Riemannian manifolds, and differential operators, culminating in applications to Maxwell’s equations and the Einstein tensor. Many worked examples and detailed diagrams are provided to aid understanding. This book will appeal especially to physics students wishing to learn more differential geometry than is usually provided in texts on general relativity.

This book is an exposition of semi-Riemannian geometry (also called pseudo-Riemannian geometry)--the study of a smooth manifold furnished with a metric tensor of arbitrary signature. The principal special cases are Riemannian geometry, where the metric is positive definite, and Lorentz geometry. For many years these two geometries have developed almost independently: Riemannian geometry reformulated in coordinate-free fashion and directed toward global problems, Lorentz geometry in classical tensor notation devoted to general relativity. More recently, this divergence has been reversed as physicists, turning increasingly toward invariant methods, have produced results of compelling mathematical interest.

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.

This book, the first in a three-volume set, explains general relativity using the mathematical tool of differential geometry. The book consists of ten chapters, the first five of which introduce differential geometry, which is widely applicable even outside the field of relativity. Chapter 6 analyzes special relativity using geometric language. In turn, the last four chapters introduce readers to the fundamentals of general relativity. Intended for beginners, this volume includes numerous exercises and worked-out example in each chapter to facilitate the learning experience. Chiefly written for graduate-level courses, the book’s content will also benefit upper-level undergraduate students, and can be used as a reference guide for practicing theoretical physicists.

This book presents a powerful way to study Einstein's special theory of relativity and its underlying hyperbolic geometry in which analogies with classical results form the right tool. It introduces the notion of vectors into analytic hyperbolic geometry, where they are called gyrovectors.Newtonian velocity addition is the common vector addition, which is both commutative and associative. The resulting vector spaces, in turn, form the algebraic setting for the standard model of Euclidean geometry. In full analogy, Einsteinian velocity addition is a gyrovector addition, which is both gyrocommutative and gyroassociative. The resulting gyrovector spaces, in turn, form the algebraic setting for the Beltrami-Klein ball model of the hyperbolic geometry of Bolyai and Lobachevsky. Similarly, Möbius addition gives rise to gyrovector spaces that form the algebraic setting for the Poincaré ball model of hyperbolic geometry.In full analogy with classical results, the book presents a novel relativistic interpretation of stellar aberration in terms of relativistic gyrotrigonometry and gyrovector addition. Furthermore, the book presents, for the first time, the relativistic center of mass of an isolated system of noninteracting particles that coincided at some initial time t = 0. The novel relativistic resultant mass of the system, concentrated at the relativistic center of mass, dictates the validity of the dark matter and the dark energy that were introduced by cosmologists as ad hoc postulates to explain cosmological observations about missing gravitational force and late-time cosmic accelerated expansion.The discovery of the relativistic center of mass in this book thus demonstrates once again the usefulness of the study of Einstein's special theory of relativity in terms of its underlying analytic hyperbolic geometry.

Yi-Shi Duan (1927-2016) was one of the world-renowned pioneers in the study of gauge field theory and general relativity. Trained in the former Soviet Union, Prof. Duan returned to China in 1957 to work in Lanzhou University for 60 years. In 1963, he came up with a general co-variant form of the conservation law of the energy-momentum tensor in general relativity. In 1979, he suggested that the gauge potential could be decomposed, which has important implications to gauge field theory. He trained in China a big team of talents in theoretical physics. His contributions to theoretical physics in China have earned him praise from both Professor Shiing-Shen Chern and Professor Chen-Ning Yang.

This textbook develops Special Relativity in a systematic way and offers problems with detailed solutions to empower students to gain a real understanding of this core subject in physics. This new edition has been thoroughly updated and has new sections on relativistic fluids, relativistic kinematics and on four-acceleration. The problems and solution section has been significantly expanded and short history sections have been included throughout the book. The approach is structural in the sense that it develops Special Relativity in Minkowski space following the parallel steps as the development of Newtonian Physics in Euclidian space. A second characteristic of the book is that it discusses the mathematics of the theory independently of the physical principles, so that the reader will appreciate their role in the development of the physical theory. The book is intended to be used both as a textbook for an advanced undergraduate teaching course in Special Relativity but also as a reference book for the future.

This book offers a gentle introduction to key elements of Geometric Algebra, along with their applications in Physics, Robotics and Molecular Geometry. Major applications covered are the physics of space-time, including Maxwell electromagnetism and the Dirac equation; robotics, including formulations for the forward and inverse kinematics and an overview of the singularity problem for serial robots; and molecular geometry, with 3D-protein structure calculations using NMR data. The book is primarily intended for graduate students and advanced undergraduates in related fields, but can also benefit professionals in search of a pedagogical presentation of these subjects.

This volume presents an accessible, self-contained survey of topics in Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry. It includes plentiful illustrations and exercises in support of the thoroughly worked-out proofs. The author's emphasis on the connections between Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry unifies the range of topics covered.The text opens with a brief review of elementary geometry before proceeding to advanced material. Topics covered include advanced Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry, division ratios and triangles, transformation geometry, projective geometry, conic sections, and hyperbolic and absolute geometry. Topics in Geometry includes over 800 illustrations and extensive exercises of varying difficulty.