Cosmology: A First CourseThis book delivers a quantitative account of cosmology, designed for a nonspecialist audience. The author outlines basic principles using simple math and physics, but still provides rigorous models of the universe. He offers an ideal introduction to the key ideas in cosmology, without going into technical details. The approach used is based on the fundamental ideas of general relativity, such as the spacetime interval, comoving coordinates, and spacetime curvature. The book provides an up-to-date and thoughtful discussion of the Big Bang and the crucial questions of structure and galaxy formation. The author also briefly discusses questions of method and philosophical approaches in cosmology. Advanced undergraduates in either physics or mathematics will benefit greatly from this book, either as a course text or as a supplementary guide to cosmology courses. |
Contents
Discovering the cosmos | 1 |
The dynamics of the universe | 55 |
The primordial universe | 76 |
Galaxy formation | 107 |
Conclusions | 127 |
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Common terms and phrases
abundance according appear astronomers baryonic beginning big bang models calculate called clusters completely consider constant coordinate corresponding cosmic cosmological constant cosmos defined density depends describe determined distance distribution dominated dynamics effect electrons emitted energy equation equilibrium essential evolution example existence expansion fact field figure fluctuations formation function fundamental galaxies geometry give given gravitational greater hand homogeneous important initial interactions length less light limit linear mass matter mean measure metric million nature necessary neutrons non-linear nuclei objects observations obtained parameter particles phase photons physics possible predictions present pressure primordial universe principle problem properties provides quantity question radiation reactions reason recombination redshift relation relativity role scale scale factor scenarios separated simple space spacetime spatial Special relativity species spectrum stars statistics structure temperature theory thermal universe volume zero