The general relativity lectures have been divided into six modules, listed below, each with a title and a brief description of their content. It is recommended that these be viewed in the order presented, as each module builds on concepts introduced in previous modules. Clicking on the titles below will reveal an active link to the recorded lecture segment that includes a list of key learning outcomes.
GR-1: Introduction of a New Idea
We shift our ideas from Newton’s Law of Gravity to a new set of equations that describe how gravity is a consequence of the curvature of spacetime.
GR-2: Gravity is a Curvature
Spacetime tells matter how to move, and matter tells spacetime how to curve.
GR-3: Who’s Who in the Story of Black Holes
An introduction to a few of the major scientists who applied Einstein’s ideas to better understand the life cycle of various stars.
GR-4: The Life Story of Stars
The mathematical predictions made by scientists tell a story of the life and death of stars.
GR-5: The Black Hole
The anatomy of a black hole.
GR-6: The Star Called a Black Hole
The physical attributes of a black hole and what types of physical evidence astronomers use the locate them.
About the Lecturer
Michael Burns, an astronomer out of Berkeley, California, specializing in CCD camera work for the early detection of supernovae, has taken roots in Waterloo, Ontario as an astronomy and physics teacher at Waterloo Collegiate Institute. His past experience in the satellite and telecommunications industry and his passion for education got him involved with Perimeter Institute’s ISSYP program and the Black Hole Lecture Series. As a two-time past president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for Kitchener–Waterloo, Michael has given many public lectures on a variety of astronomical topics and has written papers for the Pulsar Journal on topics ranging from inflation theory to dark matter. His private observatory incorporates some of the latest software and telescopic equipment for recording and enhancing videos of solar system objects, thus allowing his students to explore the wonders of science and experience research with real time data.