The Feynman Lectures on Physics

The Feynman Lectures on Physics (AKA English The Feynman Lectures on Physics ), are a 1964 published collection of lectures was given by the Nobel laureate Richard Feynman from 1961 to 1963 at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech ) for undergraduate students.

The textbook consists of three volumes, each closed deal with a major topic in itself. It covers topics from the fields of mathematics, electromagnetism, classical mechanics, quantum physics, and the relationship of physics to other sciences. Before the publication of the lectures of Feynman, Robert B. Leighton and Matthew Sands were revised so that they are comprehensible and intelligible even in book form. The books were by 2010 more than one million copies.

A selection of easily readable chapter was later published for readers without physical knowledge as a six- finger exercises and physical Physical finger exercises for advanced learners.

• 3.1 German editions

Background and development

The fact that Richard Feynman one already world famous physicist, took the beginners lectures at his university, is part of the reaction of the U.S. educational systems to the Sputnik shock. As he explains in his preface, he went out on modern physics with the physics students of great curiosity. You should consider the exciting areas such as relativity and quantum mechanics, therefore, to know in the first few semesters, not as traditionally usual only after long study of classical physics.

The idea that Feynman should keep these lectures themselves, comes from Matthew Sands. Even the suggestion to record the lectures and later use as a textbook for similarly oriented courses, dates back to the later Stanford professor. However, they underestimated the cost of editorial revision, Robert Leighton, according to per lecture took about ten to twenty hours.

In addition to the lectures consisted of the course of exercises and experiments that are not included in the books. But they were also published in parts.

It was reported that on the one hand many of the students but capitulated to the sophisticated thought processes and tasks and, increasingly, the lectures stayed away, but that Feynman could notice no decrease in the audience, as more and more older physicists came to their form and content rousing of the and unconventional representation of their craft inspire permit.

Content

Volume I: Mainly mechanics, radiation, heat

The first volume ( original title: Vol I, Mainly mechanics, radiation, and heat ) comprises the lectures of the first two semesters. After a general introduction to the physics (such as time, speed, or even probability) is a Feynman on the various aspects of mechanics, which takes a large portion of the tape to complete. He then devoted to the optics (about interference and polarization, color vision and optics of the human eye), the theory of relativity treats including the radiation of an accelerated electric charge and gives the conclusion of a brief introduction to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, including Brownian motion and irreversibility and a brief introduction to the theory of probability. Are discussed in detail and vibration phenomena, the wave equation in different fields of application ( water waves, acoustics) and the connection between symmetries and conservation laws. Feynman is also a brief introduction to the quantum theory.

Volume II: Electromagnetism and the structure of matter

The second volume ( original title: Vol II, Mainly Electromagnetism and Matter ) contains the lectures of the third semester, and thus a comprehensive view of electricity and magnetism. At the same time an introduction is given in the vector analysis and tensor calculus and specially treated fiber, particle accelerator, atmospheric electricity ( lightning ) and the crystal lattice. In addition, the continuum mechanics ( elasticity theory and hydrodynamics ) are treated. Electromagnetic radiation phenomena, and optics were also treated in the first volume. Chapter 42 provides a brief introduction to the theory of general relativity.

Volume III: Quantum Mechanics

The third and final band ( original title: Vol III, Quantum Mechanics ) gives an introduction to quantum mechanics. Among other things, Feynman discusses the spin, two-state systems ( with the grain as an application example) and wave functions. The last chapter of the book contains the text version of a seminar that addresses the Josephson effect of superconductivity as a macroscopic quantum phenomenon with the Schrödinger equation. There are also treated applications in solid state physics ( band structure ) and semiconductors. A special feature of Feynman's treatment of quantum mechanics is its consistent use of the Bra- Ket Formalism of Paul Dirac.

Expenditure

German editions

• Richard P. Feynman, Robert B. Leighton, Matthew Sands: Lectures on Physics. Volume I: Mainly mechanics, radiation, heat. German by Heinz Kohler and Eckhard Schröder, Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich, 1991, 4th edition 2001, ISBN 3486256807
• Volume II: Mainly Electromagnetism and the structure of matter. German by Marlis Mitter, Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich 1991, 3rd edition 2001, ISBN 3486255894
• Volume III: Quantum Mechanics. German Henner Wessel. Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich 1991, 4th edition 2007, ISBN 3486251341

(Hardcover with tips for physics at Oldenbourg 2009, ISBN 348658989X )