General Relativity Lecture 10

(December 3, 2012) Leonard Susskind demonstrates that Einstein's field equations become wave equations in the approximation of weak gravitational fields. The solutions for these equations create the theory of gravity waves.

This series is the fourth installment of a six-quarter series that explore the foundations of modern physics. In this quarter Susskind focuses on Einstein's General Theory of Relativity.

Originally presented in the Stanford Continuing Studies Program.

Stanford University:

Stanford Continuing Studies Program:

Stanford University Channel on YouTube:

[Algebrodadio]

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Dr. Susskind and Stanford University for making these lectures available. I especially appreciate the fact that the math wasn't dumbed down. Truly - I feel lucky to have access to such a giant of physics without the $200, 000 price tag of Stanford education that usually comes with that privilege.

[AT-]

Thank you Prof. Susskind. These lessons are a gift to humanity. Thank you Stanford for providing this freely.

[ameirshaa]

It is so amazing how we have progressed from Susskind saying "It's astonishing that people would even try to detect gravitational waves" to LIGO detecting the waves for real.

[randymartin]

Drink your coffee, chew your cookies and apples Prof. you have earned it. Puts me at ease, I'd rather see a brilliant man be human than some stiff boring lecturer ramble on with no personality .

[davidpaganin]

A million thanks for this whole lecture series, from which I have learned a great deal. I love the fact that such lectures have been made freely available to the world, for all to share and enjoy. Much appreciated!

[driesbombeek]

02:15 solution to einstein equation for empty space
06:36 solution to einstein equation for empty space with small grav. waves
16:05 classic wave equations
22:25 coordinate transformations with small perturbations in flat space
30:50 solution to the wave equation
35:18 transversality of the field
41:06 what does this mean?
1:06:18 lineair approximations and errors
1:11:19 Principle of least action & field configuration
1:15:48 Deriving einstein equations using the principle of least action
1:25:45 Introduction of the cosmological constant
1:31:41 Don't ever tell any of my friends

[BrinaCherie]

Thank you Dr. Susskind for this and the other lecture series. Thanks to Stanford for sharing all this knowledge for (almost) free.

[raultrigo]

Thank you Stanford and Prof. Susskind for unpacking the complexity of the Einstein Field Equations....now it looks graspable and encourage to pursue independent personal research...as Einstein once did...thank you

[NuclearCraftMod]

Amazing how he said that most thought that the strain would be ~10^-21, and that's exactly what it turned out to be!

[ananths]

Great lecture series which taught me to think like a physicist! I have a thesis coming up and this is beyond useful! Thanks a lot prof

[EdSmiley]

It's really heartening in 2020 how much LIGO has been able to detect.

[Urdatorn]

What a ride! Big thanks to Professor Susskind and Stanford. I took classical physics and quantum mechanics in college, but this was my first glimpse of general relativity. Recommended.

[MARILYNANDERSON]

I learned practical concepts and really enjoy the testy higher math calcs, they, and Leonard make this class intriguing and suspenseful.  Not a dull moment.

[FreeRoger]

I got to meet Susskind once when he did a guest lecture at UCLA. He was a very interesting guy, and I enjoyed meeting him.

[eugeniomyles]

These lectures helped me clarify so much! Dirac introduced the det(g) in his notes on GR but without the level of explanation I truly needed to understand it. I appreciate this for helping me see it as a factor of the volume term (or the area of a parallelogram in 2D space).
There is of course much more to praise about these lectures, but doing so would extended beyond the limits of a YouTube comment! Thanks :D

[GeneralAblon]

Yes, finally, finished! In all honesty, great lecture series. The lectures I had on the subject had a different focus on the subject.

[spainakhtar]

It is hard to see our heroes getting old....😢😢i had seen his lecture 13 yrs ago and now this, he seems so

[ninadjadkar]

Great lectures! Always wanted to understand GR properly with its mathematics, Big thanks to Dr. Susskind and Stanford University.

[djzubah]

Thank you Dr. Susskind and Stanford and whoever else for these enlightening videos!

[dennispacker]

Here are the view counts for these 10 lectures as of 17 June 2020
1017078
231166
180256
127533
102134
88744
66708
56338
71176
106755
who are these goobers watching lectures 9 and 10 without watching the previous ones? Reminds me of more people showing up to lectures as the exam draws nearer!