Lecture 2 | Modern Physics: Special Relativity (Stanford)

Lecture 2 of Leonard Susskind's Modern Physics course concentrating on Special Relativity. Recorded April 21, 2008 at Stanford University.

This Stanford Continuing Studies course is the first of a six-quarter sequence of classes exploring the essential theoretical foundations of modern physics. The topics covered in this course focus on classical mechanics. Leonard Susskind is the Felix Bloch Professor of Physics at Stanford University.

Complete Playlist for the Course:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=CCD6C043FEC59772

Stanford Continuing Studies:
http://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/

About Leonard Susskind:
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/physics/people/faculty/susskind_leonard.html

Stanford University Channel on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/stanford

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Physics
• math
• calculus
• geometry
• algebra
• theoretical
• minimum
• special
• relativity
• fuel
• fields
• field
• theories
• classical
• mechanics
• potential
• energy
• kinetic
• velocity
• strings
• mechanical
• system
• action
• space
• time

[awax10000]

A+ He is very good!

[NeoGenus1]

This stuff is helpful, I've only got this class 2x a week so any extra lecture I can get is just great!

[bbsonjohn]

@canceodgr8 You have just exposed your identity as an idiot, sir.

[TheFratmanbootcake]

@canceodgr8

There is no mistake.

He is working in units of c=1...

It's what most people do when working with relativity. For example, measure time in years and distance in light years, then the speed of light is 1.

[nirdeshreddy92]

thank u for the upload

[asilvescu]

He already mentioned that he is using units where c=1. so no mistake.

[canceodgr8]

dear all, THERE'S A MISTAKE MADE BY HIM AT 1.05 MIN..

d(tau)^2 isnt equal to dt^2-dx^2

but it is equal to dt^2 - dx^2/c^2

CHECK!

[SwanSongBlues]

Is anyone else frustrated because he never quite cleans the whiteboard perfectly before he starts a new set of equations.

[RBChoman]

It was not difficult to get the concept of fields, the Lagrangian, Euler-Lagrange equation and Principle of Least Action. Thanks! Now, Calculus and classical Mechanics make even more sense to me.