Das A. Lectures on Gravitation

World Scientific Publishing, 2011, 338 pagesThis book is a compilation of the lectures for a one-semester course on gravitation at the University of Rochester. Starting from a simple description of geometry, the topics are systematically developed to the big bang theory with a simple derivation of the cosmic background temperature. Several informative examples are worked out in detail as well.Basics of geometry and relativity
Relativistic dynamics
Principle of general covariance
Affine connection and covariant derivative
Geodesic equation
Applications of the geodesic equation
Curvature tensor and Einstein’s equation
Schwarzschild solution
Tests of general relativity
Black holes
Cosmological models and the big bang theory