This book focuses on the unifying power of the geometrical language in bringing together concepts from many different areas of physics, ranging from classical physics to the theories describing the four fundamental interactions of Nature -- gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear. The book provides in a single volume a thorough introduction to topology and differential geometry, as well as many applications to both mathematical and physical problems. It is aimed as an elementary text and is intended for first year graduate students. In addition to the traditional contents of books on special and general relativities, this book discusses also some recent advances such as de Sitter invariant special relativity, teleparallel gravity and their implications in cosmology for those wishing to reach a higher level of understanding.

This book is the culmination of twenty-five years of teaching Geometrical Optics. The volume is organised such that the single spherical refracting surface is the basic optical element. Spherical mirrors are treated as special cases of refraction, with the same applicable equations. Thin lens equations follow as combinations of spherical refracting surfaces while the cardinal points of the thick lens make it equivalent to a thin lens. Ultimately, one set of vergence equations are applicable to all these elements.The chapters are devoted to in-depth treatments of stops, pupils and ports; magnifiers, microscopes, telescopes, and camera lenses; ophthalmic instruments; resolving power and MTF; trigonometric ray tracing; and chromatic and monochromatic aberrations. There are over 100 worked examples, 400 homework problems and 400 illustrations.First published in 1994 by Penumbra Publishing Co.

In recent years the methods of modern differential geometry have become of considerable importance in theoretical physics and have found application in relativity and cosmology, high-energy physics and field theory, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and mechanics. This textbook provides an introduction to these methods - in particular Lie derivatives, Lie groups and differential forms - and covers their extensive applications to theoretical physics. The reader is assumed to have some familiarity with advanced calculus, linear algebra and a little elementary operator theory. The advanced physics undergraduate should therefore find the presentation quite accessible. This account will prove valuable for those with backgrounds in physics and applied mathematics who desire an introduction to the subject. Having studied the book, the reader will be able to comprehend research papers that use this mathematics and follow more advanced pure-mathematical expositions.

"This book focuses on the unifying power of the geometrical language in bringing together concepts from many different areas of physics, ranging from classical physics to the theories describing the four fundamental interactions of Nature — gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear. The book provides in a single volume a thorough introduction to topology and differential geometry, as well as many applications to both mathematical and physical problems. It is aimed as an elementary text and is intended for first year graduate students. In addition to the traditional contents of books on special and general relativities, this book discusses also some recent advances such as de Sitter invariant special relativity, teleparallel gravity and their implications in cosmology for those wishing to reach a higher level of understanding."--Publisher's website.

This book provides a working knowledge of those parts of exterior differential forms, differential geometry, algebraic and differential topology, Lie groups, vector bundles and Chern forms that are essential for a deeper understanding of both classical and modern physics and engineering. Included are discussions of analytical and fluid dynamics, electromagnetism (in flat and curved space), thermodynamics, the Dirac operator and spinors, and gauge fields, including Yang–Mills, the Aharonov–Bohm effect, Berry phase and instanton winding numbers, quarks and quark model for mesons. Before discussing abstract notions of differential geometry, geometric intuition is developed through a rather extensive introduction to the study of surfaces in ordinary space. The book is ideal for graduate and advanced undergraduate students of physics, engineering or mathematics as a course text or for self study. This third edition includes an overview of Cartan's exterior differential forms, which previews many of the geometric concepts developed in the text.

From the reviews: "This attractive book provides an account of the theory of special relativity from a geometrical viewpoint, explaining the unification and insights that are given by such a treatment. [...] Can be read with profit by all who have taken a first course in relativity physics." ASLIB Book Guide

Written by physicists for physics students, this text assumes no detailed background in topology or geometry. Topics include differential forms, homotopy, homology, cohomology, fiber bundles, connection and covariant derivatives, and Morse theory. 1983 edition.