Feynman Lectures on Physics

Who Is Feynman?

Born: – 11th May 1918– Far Rockaway, Queens, NY

College:– MIT– Princeton– Cornell (braved a snow-

storm here !)– Caltech

Work– Los Alamos

Feynman’s Works

Feynman Lectures – Caltech The “Unconventional” approach Other works

– QED– The Character of the Physical Law– Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman !

Quantum Mechanics as Physics Not Philosophy

Feynman’s views on the subject– Philosophy does not contribute to “advance” – A “working” method– The “Observer” issue– Typical Feynman

Quantum Behavior: The Interference Pattern (Bullets)

The Interference Pattern (waves)

The Interference Pattern (electrons)

The Interference Pattern (electrons when observed !!)

The Quantum BIZARRE

“It is impossible to design an apparatus to determine which hole the electron passes through that will not at the same time disturb the electrons enough to destroy the interference pattern” – Heisenberg (says Feynman in his lecture)

“Logical tight-rope” walking

Quantum Mechanics Principles

2P P = Probability Ф = Amplitude

i

i

Uncertainty

Special Case: If one knows the momentum of a particle to an uncertainty of Δp, then she/he cannot at the same time know the position more accurately than Δx = h/Δp

Uncertainty Principle “protects” quantum mechanics

Experimental setup demo for UP

One Example of UP

B

ppp oo

The Size of the Atom

Spread in momentum = h/a• a is like radius

Momentum must be of order p ~ h/a

Kinetic Energy =

Total Energy =

2

222

222

1

ma

h

m

pmv

a

e

ma

h

0

2

2

2

42

The Size of the Atom

The “Philozophigal” implications

Disturbance is necessary for consistence of the viewpoint

Was sound made ? Vs. Was there a sensation of sound ? – The role of a conscious observer in a forest/physics?

“No measure” implies “No speak” is a false implication

The basis of a science is its ability to predict

Feynman Lectures on Physics

-A rather short introductionBy Srinivasa

Thank you all!!