Back to Understanding Modern Physics I: Relativity and Cosmology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Understanding Modern Physics I: Relativity and Cosmology

Course Overview: https://youtu.be/xyF-MmGNxd0 The 20th century was known as the century of physics. In the past 120 years, concepts such as space, time, energy, entropy and particles were understood to much deeper levels. New paradigms of thinking such as relativity and quantum mechanics emerged. This course is the first course in the Understanding Modern Physics series, which covers an introduction to special relativity, general relativity and cosmology. We will find: (i) How space and time are relative to observers, and unified into a more fundamental construction of spacetime; (ii) Why the spacetime is not absolute, but rather curves in response to matter, and how gravity emerge as a result of such spacetime curvature; and (iii) What is the framework to understand the evolution of the whole universe, and how that is related to problems such as the origin of space and matter, and the fate of our universe. Note: the videos with a (*) are optional. They provide complementary information but not in the learning objective or assignment questions. Feel free to choose to watch them or not.

Status: Calculus
Status: Advanced Mathematics
BeginnerCourse12 hours

Featured reviews

DP

5.0Reviewed Apr 17, 2022

It was a great experience,it was my first online course its help me in understandin physics principle in more details and help in my degree course

SJ

4.0Reviewed Sep 23, 2022

I​t's an excellent introduction to the topics mentioned. The Special Relativity part is explained pretty well.

JW

5.0Reviewed May 20, 2022

Instructor did an excellent job of introducing new topics by asking rhetorical questions that highlight what is to be covered next.

AG

5.0Reviewed Dec 11, 2025

Really fun and taught me so much 10/10 you will enjoy.

AS

5.0Reviewed Jan 24, 2025

Good course online , very understanding and fiurthered my knowledge

JB

5.0Reviewed Jun 14, 2022

This was a most interesting course. It clarified many points for me which I had picked up from previous readings..The quality of the lectures was excellent.

OB

5.0Reviewed Feb 20, 2023

Very interactive. The quizzes and assignments make you reflect and think deepera bout the material.

EB

5.0Reviewed Nov 5, 2024

I enjoyed all the course. The professor is excellent.

YR

5.0Reviewed Jul 3, 2022

It was undoubtedly a great experience that have enhansed me a lot and provided we with great knowledge

SA

4.0Reviewed Aug 19, 2023

everything you need to know about modern physics. start here

SH

5.0Reviewed Jan 14, 2022

Y​i Wang does an excellent job of capturing the most important elements of the subject and demonstrating how they can be best understood. Well done!

VD

4.0Reviewed May 30, 2025

course is great and quality of material is also good, yi wang - great professor, but i found it a bit difficult to get through his examples but that was my individual experience else, its good...

All reviews

Showing: 20 of 50

Brian Marsh
2.0
Reviewed Feb 3, 2022
Jan Refsdal
2.0
Reviewed Aug 2, 2024
dikshant patidar
5.0
Reviewed Apr 18, 2022
Rubén Martín-Benito Romero
4.0
Reviewed Jul 27, 2022
Arzhel Boissinot
5.0
Reviewed Jul 2, 2023
Nguyen Dinh Le
5.0
Reviewed Dec 19, 2021
Stephen S Holt
5.0
Reviewed Jan 15, 2022
Omeni BL
5.0
Reviewed Feb 20, 2023
Patrick Ian Abuton
3.0
Reviewed Sep 16, 2022
Muhammad Saad Ashraf
5.0
Reviewed Jul 31, 2023
5.0
Reviewed Jan 20, 2023
Guillermo Pimentel Ortiga
5.0
Reviewed Jul 8, 2024
José Luis Navarro
5.0
Reviewed Jun 30, 2023
Jorge Alberto Reyes
5.0
Reviewed Jul 13, 2023
James Francis Bradley
5.0
Reviewed Jun 14, 2022
Anonymous Learner
5.0
Reviewed Jan 29, 2026
John Van Workum
5.0
Reviewed May 21, 2022
yogesh rawat
5.0
Reviewed Jul 3, 2022
Abhay Samplay
5.0
Reviewed Jan 24, 2025
Yury Vikulin
5.0
Reviewed Feb 18, 2022