The Mechanical Universe
Encyclopedia
The Mechanical Universe... And Beyond, is a 52-part telecourse filmed at the California Institute of Technology
, and produced by Caltech and INTELECOM Intelligent Telecommunications (a non-profit consortium of California community colleges). The series introduces university level physics, covering topics from Copernicus to quantum mechanics
. The series, produced in 1985 by Caltech and INTELECOM Intelligent Telecommunications
, uses historical dramatizations and visual aides to explain physics concepts. The latter were state of the art at the time of production: almost 8 hours of computer animation
were done by computer graphics
pioneer Jim Blinn
. Each episode opens and closes with a "phantom" lecture by Caltech professor David Goodstein
. Though more than 2 decades old, the series is often used as a supplemental aide for its clear explanation of phenomena such as special relativity
even today.
The Mechanical Universe lectures are actual freshman physics lectures from physics 1a and 1b from the California Institute of Technology. The lecture hall in the videos is the Bridge lecture hall.
The series can be purchased or viewed by streaming (after a relatively simple and free registration) from the Annenberg web site, or can be viewed on streaming sites such as YouTube and Google Video.
The last 26, episodes 27 through 52. are titled "The Mechanical Universe ...and Beyond".
The world of electricity and magnetism, and 20th-century discoveries of relativity and quantum mechanics.
28. Static Electricity
Eighteenth-century electricians knew how to spark the interest of an audience with the principles of static electricity.
29. The Electric Field
Faraday's vision of lines of constant force in space laid the foundation for the modern force field theory.
30. Capacitance and Potential
Franklin proposes a successful theory of the Leyden jar and invents the parallel plate capacitor.
31. Voltage, Energy, and Force
When is electricity dangerous or benign, spectacular or useful?
32. The Electric Battery
Volta invents the electric battery using the internal properties of different metals.
33. Electric Circuits
The work of Wheatstone, Ohm, and Kirchhoff leads to the design and analysis of how current flows.
34. Magnetism
Gilbert discovered that the earth behaves like a giant magnet. Modern scientists have learned even more.
35. The Magnetic Field
The law of Biot and Sarvart, the force between electric currents, and Ampère's law.
36. Vector Fields and Hydrodynamics
Force fields have definite properties of their own suitable for scientific study.
37. Electromagnetic Induction
The discovery of electromagnetic induction in 1831 creates an important technological breakthrough in the generation of electric power.
38. Alternating Currents
Electromagnetic induction makes it easy to generate alternating current while transformers make it practical to distribute it over long distances.
39. Maxwell's Equations
Maxwell discovers that displacement current produces electromagnetic waves or light.
40. Optics
Many properties of light are properties of waves, including reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
41. The Michelson-Morley Experiment
In 1887, an exquisitely designed measurement of the Earth's motion through the ether results in the most brilliant failure in scientific history.
42. The Lorentz Transformation
If the speed of light is to be the same for all observers, then the length of a meter stick, or the rate of a ticking clock, depends on who measures it.
43. Velocity and Time
Einstein is motivated to perfect the central ideas of physics, resulting in a new understanding of the meaning of space and time.
44. Energy, Momentum, and Mass
The new meaning of space and time make it necessary to formulate a new mechanics.
45. Temperature and the Gas Law
Hot discoveries about the behavior of gases make the connection between temperature and heat.
46. The Engine of Nature
The Carnot engine, part one, beginning with simple steam engines.
47. Entropy
The Carnot engine, part two, with profound implications for the behavior of matter and the flow of time through the universe.
48. Low Temperatures
With the quest for low temperatures came the discovery that all elements can exist in each of the basic states of matter.
49. The Atom
A history of the atom, from the ancient Greeks to the early 20th century, and a new challenge for the world of physics.
50. Particles and Waves
Evidence that light can sometimes act like a particle leads to quantum mechanics, the new physics.
51. Atoms to Quarks
Electron waves attracted to the nucleus of an atom help account for the periodic table of the elements and ultimately lead to the search for quarks.
52. The Quantum Mechanical Universe
A last look at where we've been and a peek into the future.
The show was one of the first twelve projects funded by the initial $90 million pledge the Annenberg Foundation gave to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in the early 1980's.
Funding to broadcast the show came from the following.
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
, and produced by Caltech and INTELECOM Intelligent Telecommunications (a non-profit consortium of California community colleges). The series introduces university level physics, covering topics from Copernicus to quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
. The series, produced in 1985 by Caltech and INTELECOM Intelligent Telecommunications
INTELECOM Intelligent Telecommunications
The activities of can be traced back to the late 1960s and to the foresight of Elton Rule, general manager of KABC-TV in Los Angeles and later President and Vice Chairman of the Board of American Broadcasting Companies, Inc...
, uses historical dramatizations and visual aides to explain physics concepts. The latter were state of the art at the time of production: almost 8 hours of computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
were done by computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
pioneer Jim Blinn
Jim Blinn
James F. Blinn is a computer scientist who first became widely known for his work as a computer graphics expert at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory , particularly his work on the pre-encounter animations for the Voyager project, his work on the Carl Sagan Cosmos documentary series and the research...
. Each episode opens and closes with a "phantom" lecture by Caltech professor David Goodstein
David Goodstein
David L. Goodstein is a U.S. physicist and educator. From 1988 to 2007 he served as Vice-provost of the California Institute of Technology , where he is also a professor of physics and applied physics, as well as the Frank J...
. Though more than 2 decades old, the series is often used as a supplemental aide for its clear explanation of phenomena such as special relativity
Special relativity
Special relativity is the physical theory of measurement in an inertial frame of reference proposed in 1905 by Albert Einstein in the paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies".It generalizes Galileo's...
even today.
The Mechanical Universe lectures are actual freshman physics lectures from physics 1a and 1b from the California Institute of Technology. The lecture hall in the videos is the Bridge lecture hall.
The series can be purchased or viewed by streaming (after a relatively simple and free registration) from the Annenberg web site, or can be viewed on streaming sites such as YouTube and Google Video.
List of episodes
The first 26 episodes are titled "The Mechanical Universe" on the show itself.The last 26, episodes 27 through 52. are titled "The Mechanical Universe ...and Beyond".
The Mechanical Universe
| # | # | Title | Directed by |
|---|
The Mechanical Universe ...and Beyond
27. Beyond the Mechanical UniverseThe world of electricity and magnetism, and 20th-century discoveries of relativity and quantum mechanics.
28. Static Electricity
Eighteenth-century electricians knew how to spark the interest of an audience with the principles of static electricity.
29. The Electric Field
Faraday's vision of lines of constant force in space laid the foundation for the modern force field theory.
30. Capacitance and Potential
Franklin proposes a successful theory of the Leyden jar and invents the parallel plate capacitor.
31. Voltage, Energy, and Force
When is electricity dangerous or benign, spectacular or useful?
32. The Electric Battery
Volta invents the electric battery using the internal properties of different metals.
33. Electric Circuits
The work of Wheatstone, Ohm, and Kirchhoff leads to the design and analysis of how current flows.
34. Magnetism
Gilbert discovered that the earth behaves like a giant magnet. Modern scientists have learned even more.
35. The Magnetic Field
The law of Biot and Sarvart, the force between electric currents, and Ampère's law.
36. Vector Fields and Hydrodynamics
Force fields have definite properties of their own suitable for scientific study.
37. Electromagnetic Induction
The discovery of electromagnetic induction in 1831 creates an important technological breakthrough in the generation of electric power.
38. Alternating Currents
Electromagnetic induction makes it easy to generate alternating current while transformers make it practical to distribute it over long distances.
39. Maxwell's Equations
Maxwell discovers that displacement current produces electromagnetic waves or light.
40. Optics
Many properties of light are properties of waves, including reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
41. The Michelson-Morley Experiment
In 1887, an exquisitely designed measurement of the Earth's motion through the ether results in the most brilliant failure in scientific history.
42. The Lorentz Transformation
If the speed of light is to be the same for all observers, then the length of a meter stick, or the rate of a ticking clock, depends on who measures it.
43. Velocity and Time
Einstein is motivated to perfect the central ideas of physics, resulting in a new understanding of the meaning of space and time.
44. Energy, Momentum, and Mass
The new meaning of space and time make it necessary to formulate a new mechanics.
45. Temperature and the Gas Law
Hot discoveries about the behavior of gases make the connection between temperature and heat.
46. The Engine of Nature
The Carnot engine, part one, beginning with simple steam engines.
47. Entropy
The Carnot engine, part two, with profound implications for the behavior of matter and the flow of time through the universe.
48. Low Temperatures
With the quest for low temperatures came the discovery that all elements can exist in each of the basic states of matter.
49. The Atom
A history of the atom, from the ancient Greeks to the early 20th century, and a new challenge for the world of physics.
50. Particles and Waves
Evidence that light can sometimes act like a particle leads to quantum mechanics, the new physics.
51. Atoms to Quarks
Electron waves attracted to the nucleus of an atom help account for the periodic table of the elements and ultimately lead to the search for quarks.
52. The Quantum Mechanical Universe
A last look at where we've been and a peek into the future.
Funding
Annenberg/CPB provided the funding for the production of The Mechanical Universe.The show was one of the first twelve projects funded by the initial $90 million pledge the Annenberg Foundation gave to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in the early 1980's.
Funding to broadcast the show came from the following.
- Alfred P. Sloan FoundationAlfred P. Sloan FoundationThe Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic non-profit organization in the United States. It was established in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors.-Overview:...
- National Science FoundationNational Science FoundationThe National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
- United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
- The Kavli FoundationThe Kavli FoundationThe Kavli Foundation, based in Oxnard, California, is a foundation that supports the advancement of science and the increase of public understanding and support for scientists and their work....
- George D. Smith Fund
- Volkswagen of AmericaVolkswagen of AmericaVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. , is the North American operational headquarters, and subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group of automobile companies of Germany. VWoA is responsible for five marques: Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Volkswagen cars. It also controls VW Credit, Inc...
- Corporation for Public BroadcastingCorporation for Public BroadcastingThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
- Viewers Like YouPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....