The fundamental principles of physical laws

Special Relativity and Electrodynamics (Spring, 2012)

Lecture Playlist

  1. The Lorentz transformation

  2. Adding velocities

  3. Relativistic laws of motion and E = mc^2^

  4. Classical field theory

  5. Particles and fields

  6. The Lorentz force law

  7. The fundamental principles of physical laws

  8. Maxwell's equations

  9. Lagrangian for Maxwell's equations

  10. Connection between classical mechanics and field theory

May 21, 2012

Professor Susskind elaborates on the four fundamental principles that apply to all physical laws. He then reviews the derivation of the Lorentz force law as an example of the application of these principles. The lecture closes with an introduction to gauge invariance.

Topics: 
  • Stationary action
  • Locality
  • Lorentz invariance
  • Gauge invariance
  • Review of the derivation of the Lorentz force law
References