After a review of Einstein & Minkowski notation and an introduction to tensors, Professor Susskind derives the relativistic Lorentz force law from the Lagrangian for a particle in a vector field. At the end of the lecture, he introduces the the four fundamental principles that apply to all of modern physics: stationary action, locality, Lorentz invariance, gauge invariance.

Topics: Review of Einstein & Minkowski notation; Introduction to tensors and tensor notation; Derivation of the Lorentz force law; The fundamental principles of physical laws.

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.