General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, abstract
gr-qc/0103044

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Date (v1): Tue, 13 Mar 2001 22:38:05 GMT (18kb)
Date (revised v2): Fri, 6 Apr 2001 01:30:30 GMT (19kb)
Date (revised v3): Wed, 18 Aug 2004 17:39:22 GMT (23kb)
Date (revised v4): Thu, 5 Jan 2006 18:23:17 GMT (26kb)
Date (revised v5): Thu, 5 Jan 2006 21:09:33 GMT (190kb)

The Meaning of Einstein's Equation

Authors: John C. Baez, Emory F. Bunn

Comments: 23 pages LaTeX, 8 encapsulated Postscript figures; unlike the published version this includes a derivation of the inverse-square force law

Journal-ref: Amer. Jour. Phys. 73 (2005), 644-652

This is a brief introduction to general relativity, designed for both students and teachers of the subject. While there are many excellent expositions of general relativity, few adequately explain the geometrical meaning of the basic equation of the theory: Einstein's equation. Here we give a simple formulation of this equation in terms of the motion of freely falling test particles. We also sketch some of its consequences, and explain how the formulation given here is equivalent to the usual one in terms of tensors. Finally, we include an annotated bibliography of books, articles and websites suitable for the student of relativity.

http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0103044