Introduction
The course gives an introduction to the General Theory of Relativity and its cosmological consequences.
Content
The equivalence principle, metric, space time curvature, tensor analysis, Einsteins field equations, the Schwarzschild solution, tests of general relativity, relativistic stars, gravitational collapse, black holes, gravitational waves, homogenous and isotropic universe models, the early universe.
Learning outcome
The students shall master the physical principles and the mathematical formalism of the General Theory of Relativity, and know its most important physical consequences. They shall have knowledge of basic cosmological consequences and central cosmological models. They shall be able to comprehend the scientific literature of the field and use the theory to independently analyze simple problems.
Required prerequisite knowledge
None
Recommended prerequisites
Astronomy (FYS110), Electromagnetism and Special Relativity (FYS300), Analytical Mechanics and Field Theory (FYS500), Mathematical Modelling (MAT500)
Exam
Oral exam
Weight 1/1
Duration 1 Hours
Marks Letter grades
Aid None permitted
Oral exam is individual
Method of work
6 hours lectures and problem solving per week.
Using AI to support learning and study activities
AI tools may be used in FYS600 as a learning aid, but must never substitute for the understanding of general relativity and cosmology the course builds — mastering the formalism and solving problems in curved spacetime yourself is precisely what you must master yourself. Productive uses include asking AI to explain a concept (e.g., what the equivalence principle involves, what a metric describes, or what the Schwarzschild solution tells us), to check the setup of a problem you have solved yourself, or to generate practice problems for self-testing before the exam. You remain responsible for critically evaluating whatever the AI produces, and any use of AI in assessed work must follow the course's guidelines.
Open for
Single Course Admission to PhD courses
Admission to Single Courses at Master Level at the Faculty of Science and Technology
Advanced teacher education for levels 8-13
Mathematics and Physics - Master
Mathematics and Physics - Master
Admission requirements
Must meet the admission requirements of one of the study programmes the course is open for.
Course assessment
The faculty decides whether early dialogue will be held in all courses or in selected groups of courses. The aim is to collect student feedback for improvements during the semester. In addition, a digital course evaluation must be conducted at least every three years to gather students’ experiences.
The course description is retrieved from FS (Felles studentsystem). Version 1
