Video Genre: Caltech
A last look at where we’ve been and a peek into the future.
Electron waves attracted to the nucleus of an atom help account for the periodic table
Evidence that light can sometimes act like a particle leads to quantum mechanics, the new
A history of the atom, from the ancient Greeks to the early 20th century, and
With the quest for low temperatures came the discovery that all elements can exist in
The Carnot engine, part two, with profound implications for the behavior of matter and the
The Carnot engine, part one, beginning with simple steam engines.
Hot discoveries about the behavior of gases make the connection between temperature and heat.
The new meaning of space and time make it necessary to formulate a new mechanics.
Einstein is motivated to perfect the central ideas of physics, resulting in a new understanding
If the speed of light is to be the same for all observers, then the
In 1887, an exquisitely designed measurement of the earth’s motion through the ether results in
Many properties of light are properties of waves, including reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
Maxwell discovers that displacement current produces electromagnetic waves or light.
Electromagnetic induction makes it easy to generate alternating current while transformers make it practical to
The discovery of electromagnetic induction in 1831 creates an important technological breakthrough in the generation
Force fields have definite properties of their own suitable for scientific study.
The law of Biot and Sarvart, the force between electric currents, and Ampère’s law.
Gilbert discovered that the earth behaves like a giant magnet. Modern scientists have learned even
The work of Wheatstone, Ohm, and Kirchhoff leads to the design and analysis of how
Volta invents the electric battery using the internal properties of different metals.
When is electricity dangerous or benign, spectacular or useful?
Franklin proposes a successful theory of the Leyden jar and invents the parallel plate capacitor.
Faraday’s vision of lines of constant force in space laid the foundation for the modern
Eighteenth-century electricians knew how to spark the interest of an audience with the principles of
The world of electricity and magnetism, and 20th-century discoveries of relativity and quantum mechanics.
A last lingering look back at mechanics to see new connections between old discoveries.
From Kepler’s laws and the theory of tides, to Einstein’s general theory of relativity, into
Voyages to other planets use the same laws that guide planets around the solar system.
The precise orbit of a heavenly body — a planet, asteroid, or comet — is