Black Holes: An Introduction [Hardcover]

Derek Raine (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1860945864 | ISBN-13: 978-1860945861 | Publication Date: November 30, 2005

This introduction to the fascinating subject of black holes fills a significant gap in the literature which exists between popular, non-mathematical expositions and advanced textbooks at the research level. It is designed for advanced undergraduates and first year postgraduates as a useful stepping-stone to the advanced literature. The book provides an accessible introduction to the exact solutions of Einstein’s vacuum field equations describing spherical and axisymmetric (rotating) black holes. The geometry and physical properties of these spacetimes are explored through the motion of particles and light. The use of different coordinate systems, maximal extensions and Penrose diagrams is explained. The association of the surface area of a black hole with its entropy is discussed and it is shown that with the introduction of quantum mechanics black holes cease to be black and can radiate. This result allows black holes to satisfy the laws of thermodynamics and thus be consistent with the rest of physics.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Imperial College Press (November 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1860945864
• ISBN-13: 978-1860945861
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 6.5 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,415,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Heavy Math, Partial DE's don't come in until Page 5, March 31, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Holes: An Introduction (Hardcover)

This rather small (only 168 pages is pretty small for a college text) book is aimed at the advanced undergraduate or early graduate student in astronomy or astrophysics. It is a non-heavy-math introduction to black holes, but at times it says that things would be easier to explain if you had another half dozen math classes.

This is not your basic introduction for the layman. The first chapter is on Relativistic Gravity. And while the mathematics may not be as complex as it can get, the partial differential equaions start on page 5. And there aren't many pages from then on that don't have at least one equasion.

The surprising thing about the book is the caliber of the writing. These guys write like people speak. Reading the book is interesting. (I skipped the math, it's been too many years since I got a degree in physics.) And you get an understanding of where the current understanding of black holes is. You also get a feeling of where research is headed and some hints of what might be found.