Special Relativity

Summary

Special Relativity is a superb text for students to begin or continue a serious study of physics. Describing the most accessible of the 20th-century revolutions, it also illustrates the fact that nature is stranger than one imagines. The book evolved through years of teaching a highly-successful course to thousands of first-year students in science and engineering. It is appropriate as part of an introductory physics course, as a supplement to a “modern physics” course, as a text for a special topics or advanced placement course, or even as a supplement in an advanced undergraduate course. Numerous illustrations, examples, and problems are presented throughout, with the concise mathematical description postponed until after the reader has built up some physical intuition for what is going on. The book contains many applications, from particle decays, colliding-beam experiments and photon rockets to a brief introduction to relativistic gravitation, including the Principle of Equivalence, the effect of altitude on clocks, and the Global Positioning System. Ten appendices can be taken up as interest and time allow, including the “Cosmic Speed Limit.” The book is a serious introduction, praised for its clarity, accessibility, and informal, light-hearted style.  A detailed Solutions Manual is available for adopting professors.

An online Instructor’s Manual is available exclusively for adopting professors.

Translated into Japanese.

Resources

List of Adoptions
Preface

Table of Contents

1. Inertial Frames and Classical Mechanics
2. Light and the Ether
3. Einstein’s Postulates
4. Time Dilation
5. Lengths
6. Simultaneity
7. Paradoxes
8. The Lorentz Transformation
9. Spacetime
10. Momentum
11. Energy
12. Applications
13. Transforming Energy and Momentum
14. Gravitation

Appendices
A.  The Binomial Approximation
B. The “Paradox” of Light-Spheres
C. The  Appearance of Moving Objects
D. The Twin Paradox Revisited
E. The “Cosmic Speed Limit:”
F. “Relativistic Mass” and Relativistic Forces
G. The Ultimate Relativistic Spaceflight
H. Nuclear Decays, Fission and Fusion
I. Some Particles
J. Relativity and Electromagnetism

Answers to Odd-Numbered Problems

Index

Reviews

“Judging from his book, Helliwell must be a fine teacher. He achieves a rare clarity. For instance, the derivation of the standard kinematic results starting from Einstein’s postulates is outstandingly clear. Throughout, he shows an unusual and sympathetic appreciation of the problems faced by the beginning student.”
-John Taylor, University of Colorado

“Helliwell’s book strikes a tone that will be very effective with a wide population of students. The writing is very accessible and conveys excitement and engagement. The problems are abundant, and students will enormously appreciate the carefully worked examples throughout.  This text chooses a middle road and has a “practical flavor” that is often obscured in other books.”
-Louis Buchholtz, California State University at Chico

“Special Relativity by Helliwell is a very well written book that should be easy for the students to read and understand without much help from the instructor.  The topics are very clearly explained with a lot of detail and clear illustrations.  This book is definitely much better than the books I have read on this topic, and I would recommend it to any instructor who plans to teach a course on special relativity.  For anyone teaching special relativity as a part of a Modern Physics course, this book offers valuable supplementary reading.”
-Shirvel Stanislaus, Valparaiso University