Professor Susskind begins with a review of space- and time-like intervals, and explains how these intervals relate to causality and action at a distance. He then introduces space-time four-vectors and four-velocity in particular.

After presenting these concepts, Professor Susskind introduces relativistic particle mechanics. He presents the action principle for a particle in free space, and derives the Lagrangian for such a particle.

Building on these concepts, Professor Susskind derives the relativistic formulas for momentum and energy, and discusses relativistic mass, and how the conservation of momentum and energy are modified by relativity. He then shows the origin of Einstein's famous equation E = mc².

The lecture concludes with a discussion of massless particles under relativity.

1. The Lorentz Transform
2. Adding Velocities
3. Relativistic Laws of Motion and E = mc2
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

In 1905, while only twenty-six years old, Albert Einstein published "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" and effectively extended classical laws of relativity to all laws of physics, even electrodynamics. In this course, we will take a close look at the special theory of relativity and also at classical field theory. Concepts addressed here will include four-dimensional space-time, electromagnetic fields, and Maxwell's equations.