The Book is Out!!!

Well, the book I wrote with Leonard Susskind, The Theoretical Minimum, is out and is a huge success! Thanks to all of you who have been following this! You can find the web site to support the book at www.madscitech.org/tm.

The Web Page for The Theoretical Minimum is Up!

The web page for The Theoretical Minimum is up and you can see it at: www.madscitech.org/tm.

Book Update

The book, The Theoretical Minimum, will be published by Basic Books at the end of January of 2013. There will be a companion web site: www.madscitech.org/tm, it is not yet up! Don't go there and then tell me there is no link!

More Information on the Book

I just finished working over the proofs for the publsher. It is now in their hands again. The next step is the Galleys, and then back to the publisher again. The book is scheduled to be out in January 2012.

Been Away Again

I have been away for a couple of months. In that time my co-author on the book, Leonard Susskind, and I have been working on the final draft of our book THEORETICAL MINIMUM: Claswsical Mechanics and hope to have it done in a few weeks.

MAST is working on developing education modules for basic science.

I have had a paper on numerical modeling of the diffusion equation accepted for publication in The Mathematica Journal.

I will be working on the show The Wonders of Physics this year.

I will be doing more in the coming days.

Book Deal

Today I received the executed book deal for my collaboration with Leonard Susskind on the book Theoretical Minimum: Classical Mechanics. The book will be published by Basic Books. We have until January of 2012 to finish it, but don't be surprised if we finish early.

Book News

Leonard Susskind and I have now signed a contract with Basic Books for the Theoretical Minimum: Classical Mechanics. This book is contracted to be completed by January of 2012 (don't be surprised if it is finished before then).

The Book Is DONE!!!

At 05:17 on Monday, 31 January 2011 I finished the first draft of the book Theoretical Minimum I: Classical Mechanics by Leonard Susskind and George Hrabovsky. This book was written in Mathematica 7 and Mathematica 8.

The Book is Almost Done!

I am almost done with the final two cahpters of the book I am writing with Leonard Susskind! I will be done by Sunday!

Book Project Update

Well here I am again. Sorry about the lengthy delay in posting, I am in a full-scale assault on the book to finish it by the end of this week. I have completed chapter 16, am finishing up chapter 15, and will finish 17 and 18 by week's end! The first draft is nearly done!

Here is the book now:

Lecture 1: Dynamical systems.

Interlude 1: Calculus.

Interlude 2: Newtonian mechanics.

Lecture 2: Conservation laws, the principle of least action, and the Lagrangian.

Interlude 3: Vectors and vector spaces.

Lecture 3: Conservation laws imply symmetry.

Interlude 4: Symmetry.

Lecture 4: Time translation symmetry, the conservation of energy, and the Hamiltonian.

Interlude 5: Transformations and matrices.

Lecture 5: Pendulums and springs.

Interlude 6: Complex numbers and ordinary differential equations. 

Lecture 6: The Hamiltonian method of mechanics. 

Interlude 7: Vector analysis.

Lecture 7: Liouville's Theorem and Information Conservation

Interlude 8: Thermodynamics (almost complete)

Lecture 8: Charged Particles in Electromagnetic Fields and an Introduction to Poisson Brackets

Interlude 9: Chaos (not done yet)

Lecture 9: Poisson Brackets and Canonical Transformations

Book Update

I have now completed 13 chapters out of 18!

Here is the chapter list so far:

Lecture 1: Dynamical systems.

Interlude 1: Calculus.

Interlude 2: Newtonian mechanics.

Lecture 2: Conservation laws, the principle of least action, and the Lagrangian.

Interlude 3: Vectors and vector spaces.

Lecture 3: Conservation laws imply symmetry.

Interlude 4: Symmetry.

Lecture 4: Time translation symmetry, the conservation of energy, and the Hamiltonian.

Interlude 5: Transformations and matrices.

Lecture 5: Pendulums and springs.

Interlude 6: Complex numbers and ordinary differential equations. 

Lecture 6: The Hamiltonian method of mechanics. 

Interlude 7: Vector analysis.

I am now working on Lecture 7: Liouville's Theorem and Information Conservation

Project Updates

Hello!

I have been insanely busy the last week. Had a great Thanksgiving!

Just completed Chapter 9 in the book project, this is a survey of linear algebra. I am about to start in on chapter 10, Leonard Susskind's classical mechanics Lecture 5.

I am also developing the program for the Institute for Scientific Computing Summer School program. I am also working on developing courses for teaching Mathematica 8 online.

That's all for now.

Book Project Milestone!

The classical mechanics book I am writing with Leonard Susskind has reached a milestone. As of now the page count stands at just over 100 pages! That is four chapters completed, the first two lectures, an introduction to calculus, and an introduction to Newtonian mechanics.

Blog Update

I have not posted for a couple of days because I am hard at work on transcribing Lecture 4 of Classical Mechanics. This is about symmetry and conservation laws.

I am also working on a book review for a book I received for review from CRC Press, Advanced University Physics.

Lots on my plate this week.

Book project update

I have just completed a 15 page chapter on calculus that covers limits, derivatives, integrals, differential equations, infinite series, and partial derivatives. This chapter is for the proposed classical mechanics book I am working on with Leonard Susskind.

I took a very minimalist approach to the subject. If you want to see how I crammed so much into so little, wait for the book... :-)

Actually, some of this material will likely find its way into my column (and I took some of it from my existing columns).

Secret Weapons of The Theoretical Physicist

Tonight I am thinking about a set of the most powerful techniques of the theoretist, classically called back-of-the-envelope calculations. These consitute two broad categories of methods.

The first is the method of estimation, where you use some basic reasoning abilities to determine a rough estimate of the quantities you are considering. For example, you want to estimate the number of hairs on someone's head. You think about it and decide that if you knew the area of the part of the head covered by hair, then knew the average area of a hair, you could figure it out. Then you make the necessary assumptions about the quantities (either by looking up the information, or by figuring it out for yourself).

The second is the ability to check the correctness of equations and to derive new equations by studying the relevant units of the quantities. All terms of any equation must have the same units. When you chaeck the terms, any that do not have the correct units are just wrong. By including powers of each quantity in each term and making sure all of the units come out the same, you invent a system of algebraic equations that can be solved. This gives you the necessary powers of each variable and shows you the structure of each term within a factor of a constant of proportionality. In this way you can learn what each term must look like. This allows you to invent new equations if you know the units involved. This is called dimensional analysis.

I will be writing about these ideas in my column in the coming weeks. I will also be discussing this in the Classical Mechanics book I am writing with Leonard Susskind.

Brief on Calculus and Appreciation to Leonard Susskind for his Lectures

Hello everyone!

I have been working on the book project with Leonard Susskind. I just completed an 11-page overview of calculus with detailed material on limits, derivatives (including a short table of derivatives), integrals (with another short table of integrals), differential equations (covering mostly separation of variables), and Taylor series.

I am thinking of adding sections on partial derivatives, maxima and minima, and maybe curvature.

Of course, Leonard has not committed to anything yet; I certainly have not produced enough material to do more than whet his appetite for more. It is possible that something could happen to prevent me from finishing, and he probably does not want to stick his neck, or his reputation, out for someone who is not too well known.

I am having great fun writing this material. It is extremely challenging to develop short and clear explanations for these topics. My olf Mind of a Theorist column is good for this, the philosophy that Iadopted for the column is the same the Leonard has in the lectures.

To quote from the introduction, "What is this course about? Who am I teaching to? While undergraduate or graduate students will be able to read this, it is mostly designed for people who are interested in getting into the meat of physics right away. This is not a standard physics course. This is the real deal, theoretical physics at full scale! We use equations, and sometimes hard equations, but we try to use the simplest equations that will do the job. Basically, we try to keep it minimal. The goal here is to get to the basic ideas fast. So we will be telling you what you really, really, need to know to get to the next level. Sometimes the basics can be hard; we will do them anyway, but will only spend the minimum time required to get them right. And here we mean getting them really right, not by metaphors or analogies, but equations when necessary."

I am dazzled by the structure of the video lectures. In lecture one he introduces the ideas of dynamical systems, phase space, and conservation laws with no mathematics; just some diagrams and very clear explanations. Wonderful!

Wonderful Opportunity

I have begun converting Leonard Susskind's video lecture series on Modern Physics to book form. I have just completed Lecture 1 of the video course Modern Physics: Classical Mechanics and am now working on a chapter on calculus.

So far, so good. These are still early days, but I plan to convert them all in time.

Whether it becomes anything is, at this point, up in the air; we will see how it goes.

I am honored to be working with someone so passionate about providing a good resource on theoretical physics to enthusiasts. I am honored that he didn't just slam the door in my face! I am having a great time in converting these lectures, not only because I get to work with one of the giants of theoretical physics; but also because I am forced to think deeply about the meaning of the lectures and their context. It is a wonderful opportunity.

Thanks, Leonard!