| Date | Notes |
| W 8/23 | Classes Begin. Introduction, Administrivia. Conventions, choices. |
| F 8/25 | Spacetime, parametrized curves, proper time |
| M 8/28 | Twin paradox |
| W 8/30 | Energy/momentum, general Lorentz transformation |
| F 9/1 | Lorentz generators |
| M 9/4 | Labor Day (no class) |
| W 9/6 | Lorentz generators as Pauli matrices |
| F 9/8 | Pauli matrix Lorentz transformations, |
| M 9/11 | Boost1 × Boost2 = Boost' × Rotation |
| W 9/13 | Tensor manipulations |
| F 9/15 | Classical field theory from Lagrangian density |
| M 9/18 | Energy momentum tensor, scalar field, perfect fluid |
| W 9/20 | Perfect fluid, relativistic hydrodynamics, first law of thermodynamics |
| F 9/22 | General coordinates, basis vectors, 1-forms, metric. Polar coordinates. |
| M 9/25 | Derivatives of basis vectors, covariant derivative. Laplacian in polar coordinates. |
| W 9/27 | Connection from metric |
| F 9/29 | Commutators, structure constants. Divergence in coordinate frame (useful formula) |
| M 10/2 | Geodesic equation. Connections, geodesics on the sphere |
| W 10/4 | Geodesic equation from extremal path length |
| F 10/6 | Homecoming (no class) |
| M 10/9 | Commutator of covariant derivatives, Riemann curvature tensor. Parallel transport around closed curve. |
| W 10/11 | Geodesic deviation. Symmetries and degrees of freedom of Riemann tensor. |
| F 10/13 | Bianchi identity. Contractions of the Riemann tensor: Ricci tensor, Ricci scalar. Einstein tensor, Weyl tensor. |
| M 10/16 | Geodesic deviation on a sphere. Gravity as geometry: weak equivalence principle. Riemann curvature tensor. Newtonian limit, gravitational redshift. |
| W 10/18 | Towards a relativistic theory of gravity: Scalar potential, conformally flat; Tensor field, General Relativity. |
| F 10/20 | Weak field GR, infinitesimal coordinate transformation, Lorentz gauge.
Bending of light by the sun: γ = 1 − (1.7 ± 4.5) × 10-4 [PRL paper] |
| M 10/23 | Spherical symmetry, Schwarzschild geometry. |
| W 10/25 | Life in Schwarzschild: radial effective potential, r → 0 in τ < π M, Ω² = M/r³ |
| F 10/27 | Isotropic coordinates. |
| M 10/30 | Precession of Mercury; binary pulsar, galactic center. |
| W 11/1 | Killing's equation, conserved quantities, Killing vectors on the sphere. |
| F 11/3 | More with Killing vectors, D'Alembertian and Riemann, conserved energy-momentum current density, |
| M 11/6 | Lie derivative |
| W 11/8 | Einstein-Hilbert action, symmetric energy-momentum tensor |
| F 11/10 | Veteran's Day (no class) |
| M 11/13 | Birkhoff's Theorem (uniqueness of Schwarzschild solution). |
| W 11/15 | Spherical symmetry with static sources. Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkov (TOV) equation. |
| F 11/17 | Constant density solution of TOV equation. |
| M 11/20 | Schwarzschild Riemann components. Gravitational waves, Transverse Traceless gauge. |
| W 11/22 | Constrained Hamiltonian systems. |
| F 11/24 | Thanksgiving (no class) |
| M 11/27 | Gravitational wave sources: quadrupole radiation. |
| W 11/29 | Gravitational radiation: angular distribution, total power. |
| F 12/1 | Effective energy-momentum tensor for gravitational radiation |
| M 12/4 | Gravitational radiation power and strains for astrophysical sources |
| W 12/6 | Last day of class |