Episode 39: Maxwell's Equations - The Mechanical Universe

Episode 39. Maxwell's Equations: Maxwell discovers that displacement current produces electromagnetic waves or light.
“The Mechanical Universe,” is a critically-acclaimed series of 52 thirty-minute videos covering the basic topics of an introductory university physics course.
Each program in the series opens and closes with Caltech Professor David Goodstein providing philosophical, historical and often humorous insight into the subject at hand while lecturing to his freshman physics class. The series contains hundreds of computer animation segments, created by Dr. James F. Blinn, as the primary tool of instruction. Dynamic location footage and historical re-creations are also used to stress the fact that science is a human endeavor.
The series was originally produced as a broadcast telecourse in 1985 by Caltech and Intelecom, Inc. with program funding from the Annenberg/CPB Project.
The online version of the series is sponsored by the Information Science and Technology initiative at Caltech. ist.caltech.edu
©1985 California Institute of Technology, The Corporation for Community College Television, and The Annenberg/CPB Project

[@Shaybay922]

Came for the math, stayed for the 80's style intro.

[@robertfitzgerald9549]

So soothing

[@robertbakin3051]

😂

[@vishnuteja3301]

Maxwell is my favourite among the scientists. His intuition and mathematical capabilities distinguished him. Wish there was a way to ask kids to focus on intuition when studying. The smart ones nail the mathematics but do not build their intuition due to the focus on securing the Marks in the exams. These maxwell equations are enchantingly beautiful.

[@piyush2404]

He got the credit for all the work of Oliver Heaviside. I am not saying Maxwell had no contribution, he completed those equations but Heaviside gave us the tool to visualise it.

[@PrinceBlake]

@@piyush2404 Heaviside proposed the existence of the ionosphere and also gravitational waves. His form of Maxwell's equations are a better fit for quantum equations. His birthday, May 18th is shared by artist Kumiko Krchnak who, perhaps sensing Heaviside's tweaking of Maxwell offered a twist of her own leading to the discovery of the arrow of time. She is not a physicist but an artist and yet some consider her contribution worthy of a Nobel Prize.

[@theNotoriousBFM]

@@piyush2404 you beat me to the punchline here!

[@user-hx6bg3ee4l]

🎉

[@morpheus6749]

Maxwell's equations are among the ultimate expressions of the beauty of nature, spoken in the language of the universe.

[@marklee1194]

I watched these series when I studied Physics in high school. Even at university, I still use these videos for review and understanding.

[@arsenymun2028]

21:35 vintage 3blue1brown

[@shryoder]

*Lmao...*

[@evasuser]

superbly observed, +1.

[@u0dgellxna]

Old but gold.

[@kungfumaster8171]

As an engineering student in the 80’s these films (not videos) where a god send. This was the most advanced stuff we had. Brings back fond memories of all nighters, frustration and fear of the exams.

[@tronalddump2267]

imagining you guys using a VCR and a remote is hilarious

[@XxfishpastexX]

I have the luxury of 3blue1brown’s KZbin videos to help study.

[@user-hx6bg3ee4l]

😂 yes PBS and VCRs

[@stanleycates1972]

Faraday was a trained bookbinder who sought work in Humphrey Davy's lab. 5 years later playing with coils and magnets and a meter he noticed a movement in the meter when wires passed a magnet. Faraday has always been my hero since I am poor at math like he was. It took Maxwell's genius to develop the 4 equations to define what the uneducated experimenter had stumbled across through dedication and perserverance.

[@uploadJ]

Maxwell's work was refined by Oliver Heaviside to the four eqs we use today ...

[@ryanlyle9201]

I never gave Faraday the attention he deserved until listening to a Lawrence Krauss lecture. He stopped for a whole 10 minutes just to give a backstory and it caught my attention. Been one of my favorites ever since.

[@brucemcpherson8832]

Cavendish rarely published any of his research and it would still be largely unknown if JCW had not searched for it and published it. Reading and understanding the work of people who have gone before is largely how science progresses, and that us what Faraday and then JCW did . Einstein said that he did not stand on the shoulders of Newton, but of JCW, and, quite correctly, nobody says that JCW should get credit for Einsteins work

[@sayyidrajab6657]

@@uploadJ Too little credit given to Heaviside for his work here, in terms of mathematical elegance. And he was mostly self taught.

[@Ma_X64]

Maxwell has been grounding on works of at least 24 scientists that describes mainly hydrodynamics. And Helmholtz was the main.

[@shocknawe14]

This entire series is a real gem! Thanks for uploading.

[@hg1288]

Having trying to understand how 'light-wave' is generated, after watching so many videos, This one is the Best and easily understood! Thanks

[@danielnorman8595]

I have watched the mechanical universe and the mechanical universe and beyond at least a half a dozen times. The entire series is wonderfully produced and I always enjoyed the music. That horn that echoes. And every time I've watched it There is one video with Ben Franklin never had any sound.

[@infiniteloops1879]

This is a gem, you can not always go back and find the resources of asking the right question which gives a ground breaking result.

[@lg2058]

These videos are captivating.

[@MathsSciencePhilosophy]

This is the kind of videos I want. Well done ❤

[@jeffreysung1794]

This was made in mid 80. This professor was giving Lecture in Cal Tech Pasadena. I was 14 year old, it’s only on Local channel.

[@morpheus6749]

Nope. It was syndicated on PBS. It was everywhere PBS was accessible.

[@LydellAaron]

7:52 lines of force behaving as linked mechanical oscillators. 8:30 propagation types (twisting is also a valid wave type). 10:02 linked mechanical oscillators. 11:53 divide electric constant by magnetic constant for propagation of light constant. If you look at the wave propagation forms in 9:45 you will see that waves all have in common this interesting ratio of the "ability to move" vs the "ability to be restricted from moving." 23:05 waves of all frequency - e.g. polychromatic

[@kn9ioutom]

GREAT SCIENCE LECTURES !

[@wardcampbell5885]

Special thanks to Caltec for this great presentation! Thank you so much!

[@Pedritox0953]

This video is a treasure !!

[@jeffwells1255]

A truly excellent lecture which demonstrates the value of a great teacher!

[@promasreemajumdar6915]

beautiful lecture heard in years!

[@DavidSaintloth]

"It appears impossible for him to think incorrectly on physical subjects." GOD STATUS

[@jacobvandijk6525]

No, the status of a very intelligent HUMAN BEING! Stop referring to gods, please :-(

[@user-zz3zz3ov9u]

God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status God status

[@shauryachowhan111]

@@user-zz3zz3ov9u maxwell would barf at your statement

[@marc-andrebrunet5386]

@@shauryachowhan111 😁👍

[@OjashShrestha95]

SO SO SO SO SO SO Darn Grateful to this Initiative. The intuitions a young scientist can have from this video outclasses every prior knowledge on Maxwell's Equations.

[@fabiolimadasilva3398]

The essence of beauty. I have watched to this video during engineering basic course 31 years ago.

[@Chicken_Little_Syndrome]

Artists understand beauty. Engineers do not.

[@abdulrahmann.9024]

@@Chicken_Little_Syndrome wtf

[@fabiolimadasilva3398]

@@Chicken_Little_Syndrome it is a kind of beauty you can´t enjoy. I feel sorry for you.

[@unbendedurchin1821]

Art is harder than engineering coming from an EE who plays pian. He needs to show some respect though just as we show them

[@DavidSaintloth]

I'm an Engineer today because of this series: Facts.

[@fabiolimadasilva3398]

Me too, David!

[@marc-andrebrunet5386]

All My respect for Engineers sir 😎👍

[@jurisbogdanovs1]

This is absolutely the best and simplest explanation of Maxwell's equations I have seen so far ... Great job!

[@user-pb4jg2dh4w]

This is the most beautiful documentary I've ever seen 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Franciscasieri]

The symmetry of GALILEO's death and Newton's birth with FARADAY's discovery of Electromagnetic Induction and the birth of that little boy who would lose his mother at aged 8 with his death in the same year of the birth of Einstein brings me to tears.... It appears it was a result of a universal written equation...

[@jonathanlynch8372]

How very British. "Ah, so an oscillating electric field will induce an oscillating magnetic field and vice versa and this oscillation will travel at the speed of light. So light is an 'electromagnetic' wave......time for tea"

[@Chicken_Little_Syndrome]

An explanation that explains nothing. Circular reasoning is the tool of most PHDs.

[@brendawilliams8062]

Electricians and their engineers are brilliant people

[@sandycosmos2331]

Awesome video which explains basics of Maxwell's equations in a crystal clear manner.

[@khushalsahni6058]

I have exams tomorrow, but I kinda feel relaxed after this video, no matter how I do on the paper, I am glad I came across this video

[@juliocamacho8354]

How did it went?

[@___xyz___]

dided he dieded?

[@juliocamacho8354]

@@___xyz___ Did he lose a shoe?

[@OjashShrestha95]

I hope you did well. Mine's on a month from today and couldn't be happier. The deep desire to intuitively understand Maxwell is truly gratifying.

[@ahappyimago]

This nigga failed!

[@bsul03420]

Superbly lucid video!

[@alitlweird]

I like the neat computer animations.

[@marc-andrebrunet5386]

Me too🤔 and I really love that

[@marc-andrebrunet5386]

🤘!!!!!!!!!"The 80's" !!!!!!!!!👍 Notice the hypnotic Music during formula demonstration !

[@mukundadevbehera5871]

Nice

[@txikitofandango]

RIP one of the greats D L Goodstein

[@marimarmarimar25]

A lesson like a dream... I am fan Maxwell... Excellent movie!

[@nacialuo9332]

This is so well documented. I love the aesthetic of the demo animations. The background music is dope

[@holdmybeer]

the director of this film is amazing.

[@GlynWilliams1950]

Great lecture

[@sinan4495]

This video offered some great insights

[@nickharrison3748]

Great explanation

[@ibrahimnoon]

So insightful and inspiring!

[@maxziebell4013]

Thank you!

[@curiousbit9228]

Beautiful

[@bryanfuentes1452]

this animation is a perfection :)

[@morpheus6749]

Indeed. All of it was created by Jim Blinn, a CGI pioneer and an engineering genius.

[@earnric]

I love the Mech Universe. I got the VHS tapes like 20 years ago... Still an awesome production.

[@morpheus6749]

I had the full set too. Bought them when I lived on the East Coast. Then I moved to So. Cal. and several years later a So. Cal. wildfire leveled my home along with the tapes, not far from Pasadena. Oh the irony.

[@marc-andrebrunet5386]

Yep !👍

[@ankurbharti997]

That was one of the most beautiful lecture... Thankyou.

[@andreranulfo-dev8607]

This lecture saved me!

[@rolandbruno4664]

Filosofisch, natuurkundig, cultureel historisch gesproken sublieme video's! Prachtige parels, ik blijf ze bekijken!

[@damienthorne861]

Indeed sir!

[@alexgoldhaber1786]

Thank you Caltech for the series.

[@donfox1036]

I've always loved ’Maxwell’ Magic Hammer.’

[@12388696]

It's just beautiful!

[@diffranticlen8996]

Freakin helll! So fulfilling. I think I almost cried.

[@morpheus6749]

I thought it was just me.

[@climbeverest]

Great stuff

[@jamesgroccia239]

Wow. Maxwell was the oldest 32 year old ever.

[@carlasouza5194]

basic science research is super important. hats out for all theoretical physicists.

[@amritpatel3794]

Great minds of Sir Isaac newton & James Clark Maxwell, brought the Enlightment yera.

[@michaelgonzalez9058]

Fools gold is the best conductor of eletrical flow

[@darylcooper6090]

Pure genius

[@denkingsbilliontv2156]

So intriguing... God bless you for this video

[@jamesbentonticer4706]

I wish there were transcripts of Faraday and Maxwell's conversations!

[@gerontius1726]

Most understandable presentation i have seen on this subject - brilliant!

[@marcwatt355]

Maxwell is the man

[@mybluemars]

I remember watching “The Mechanical Universe" on VHS in college. Great learning tool!

[@davidwilkie9551]

What an excellent introduction, the real form follows function and recognition of the difference between a static recording of historical events from real-time continuous creation cause-effect connection Eternity-now Interval Conception, the eventuality of pure-math dynamic relative-timing, e-Pi-i sync-duration resonances. And "When the Student is ready, the Teacher will appear", that is resonance in 1-0-infinity probability Entanglement, and the explanation for Piaget Stages of Early Childhood - Beginning Teaching Development in Education programs. The 0-1-2-ness log-antilog reciprocation-recirculation potential condensation in/of instantaneous positioning Physics of this, is evidenced by Maxwell's Math-Physics Equations. So to divide the measure of Electric Condensation density-intensity Constant by the Magnetic Constant is to observe the relative-timing reciprocation-recirculation of logarithmic 0-1-2-3-4-etc exponentiation-ness superposition-> superimposed 0-1-2-ness in 3D-T picture-plane containment states of pure-math Perspective.., analogous to WYSIWYG in Saturnian Rings of phase-locked Logarithmic=> orthogonal-normal reciprocation-recirculation measure structure of coherence-cohesion. The result of Singularity-point omnidirectional-dimensional observation is the holography of riding in parallel with a line-of-sight beam of light, as Einsteinian Thought Experimentalist's Intuitions predicted, a ratio-rate condensation of Bose-Einsteinian coherence-cohesion objective location in the Eternity-now Universal standing wave-packaging Holographic Resonance Fusion-Fission Function. The "capacitor problem of E-M potential positioning applies directly to the electrogravitic positioning potential of ER=EPR shell-horizon density-intensity envelope-shaping-> Lensing orientation-observation resonance phase-locked phenomena. Electric Flux = Singularity-point Fluxion-Integral positioning in the Universal coherence-cohesion echo-chamber, Cavity Resonance, standing wave modulation holography dimensionality in Absolute zero-infinity, Sublimation-Tunnelling tuning-probability, Aether. John Donne said "No man is an Island", but everyone is entitled to their opinion in the sense-in-common Ocean of Consciousness.

[@markjmaxwell9819]

A pretty cool guy to have as a namesake. I went to a Technical secondary school instead of a High school and then proceeded to do a trades certificate in Fitting and Turning which is similar to a machinist. We should be thanking all the people who contribute to modern science.... Curie Edison Newton the list is so extensive they all should be thanked for dragging us out of the dark ages.

[@delb0y1967]

That was superb, great upload and superb teacher too, great sense of humour really helps you learn.

[@divyaarora158]

It's a great video Thank you for letting me understand it to a great extent. Please suggest me a book or any source to know the history of these theories from the scratch.

[@rexdalit3504]

Strangely, mathematical versions of 19th century warfare models may be expressed as homologs of (coupled systems of) Maxwell's equations. So in the end, both the war historian and the classical physicist were studying the same thing.

[@JC-je3jc]

This intro reeks of an 80's learn-to-type video

[@matthoward8546]

5:26. that graphic made it clearer for me...out of hundreds I've seen.

[@jeffanderson5396]

The laugh track really helps the lame jokes hit home. Without dubbed laughter, how could I know where the jokes are?

[@jeffanderson5396]

This video is very weird. It is a script about a class with a teacher that stands in front of a board with writing that he doesn't reference or change. The class is forced to watch a video and then the class is over. If there is a video on Electromagnetism, then why is there a surrounding sub-plot of it being shown in a classroom to a class that asks nothing, gets nothing from their teacher and then acts like zombies? I'm sorry for all you who love this video, but isn't it enough to show the video the teacher in the video showed to us, and leave out where the teacher and students pretend to be in a classroom watching it with me? I don't like this video, because the premise is too weird. I'd much rather watch a video about science where it is a real classroom with a real teacher saying something useful, instead of a staged classroom performance in order to what... make the audience think the video shown is great, because actors pretending to be their peers are liking it? This is just weird to me... please tell me why it is not weird and good for learning science like this?

[@marcellisrobinson]

The first 3 minutes can be sipped over, and then it gets interesting .... They should air this on PBS, as a Nova episode

[@morpheus6749]

The entire series ran on PBS for like two decades.

[@user-ej4yr6dz7p]

Just in time!

[@marc-andrebrunet5386]

4 years ago😂.. just kidding

[@craigmckay3514]

I'm from Aberdeen and remember sitting in Marischal College (it's now the local Council headquarters) and thinking how many people trundle in and out of the building filling out council forms without realising that James Clerk Maxwell was there or the connection that one of the great names in physics had with Aberdeen.

[@vedant6633]

Maxwell rocks!

[@marc-andrebrunet5386]

You got it🤘😎👍

[@electricpants_abhay]

Wow.

[@jakisonojha8433]

Best explanation of Maxwell's equation. I was always wondered how Maxwell derived these equations and speed of light. I always was searching for how this was derived and this kind explaination. However I am not sure why he thought this speed is of em wave or light why not any other universal constant.

[@jondeere5638]

I apologize in advance if someone else has preceded me, some pertinent information is missing. The 4 equations presented are Maxwell-Heaviside vector equations. The original equations are 20 quaternion equations, which Heaviside converted to vectors. Faraday predicted that waves moved at the speed of light but couldn’t prove it. Further information on Faraday and Maxwell is presented in 'Einsteins big idea'.

[@macmos1]

Saw this during my freshman year in college as a physics major. Still incredibly fascinating.

[@2sc458]

Still, difficult to grasp/imagine. Creative, smart people, especially considering their era.

[@douglasstrother6584]

Faraday's & Maxwell's contributions and collaboration are unsung in light of their consequences.

[@kenlogsdon7095]

Holy Mother of Hell, is THAT an understatement!

[@Silly.Old.Sisyphus]

what a marvellous way of explaining it. i can almost understand now!

[@danbhakta]

You show me this man drinking tea, and by 6:12 I'm craving coffee.

[@morpheus6749]

Subtle subliminal messaging. OMG... I just had an epiphany... I gotta go... and thank you.

[@bagoquarks]

*DARJEELING OR EARL GREY?* Behind every scientific advance there's a great cup of tea.

[@user-iw9ws7jk3g]

24:34 Maxwell's Equation in animation

[@philoso377]

Nice video and presentation. Is it fair to say that the prerequisites for light propagation are e0 and u0? Also that e0, u0 are attributes of light medium, Aether? Also that c isn’t a constant, instead is dependent of u0 and e0? Also that radiating solar wind increases the permittivity e0 and caused a permittivity gradient around solar that responsible for a velocity gradient of a passing light and hence bends it? That gravity bends light is out of ignorance in Aether ?

[@babulroy3093]

Very well said about history. It is unfortunate that our politicians always glorify the political history for their own vested interest what actually has nothing to do with our present and future course of action; when they completely ignore the history of science and human knowledge that has so much to do with both of our present and future.

[@donfox1036]

Babul Roy, that's why we need historians of science.

[@MS-cj8uw]

The strange thing is that the basic of all Maxwell's formulas is the mathematics of Gauss .. but Gauss doesn't mentioned in that report

[@davidporowski9512]

Liked & Subscribed wonderful video lesson as a refresher, thanx

[@philoso377]

Remember that vacuum is empty of all matter except energy or Aether, and that e0 and u0 are attributes of Aether.

[@fellon8019]

I have to watch this again....and again and again. Maybe I will just remember the equation and leave it at that. Don't understand Einstein's either.😮😊

[@signoregatto6061]

I came like that thunder at 11:57

[@crackyflipside]

I love this entire series!!

[@guitarttimman]

He has good coffee too. :-)

[@StoneShards]

"The magnetic and electric waves CREATE EACH OTHER"!!! OMG! That sounds...mystical!

[@gerontius1726]

Not "create each other". They are Manifestations of each other according to Maxwell's equations!

[@Mayank-mf7xr]

it is.

[@baskarbalsu1]

This is the pendant épisode for the chain of épisodes of golden beads.. I experienced an intellectual orgasm when the problem of magnetic flux in a capacitor was solved that helped to unite the worlds of electromagnetism and light waves!

[@websonic1000]

Guys, little help here if you please. I am confused. Maxwell got speed of light dividing electric constant with magnetic constant according to narrator. What confuse me is that case of e (Ke) is Coulomb's Constant, which is electric force constant, (or the electrostatic constant) and not electric constant or (vacuum permittivity) denoted with ε0 What am i missing over here?

[@SimpMcSimpy]

makes no difference when divided

[@davidwilkie9551]

This is an excellent example of re-vision of the intellectual development of Mathematical potential possibilities as regulatory formulae. It's what I was taught, and it was overwhelmingly impressive at the time. Gradually the personal problems of relating it to ourselves as part of the mechanism got in the way of work requirements where the reasoning gets lost while empirical formulae are everything.., and then the whole process of teaching and learning is reiterated in another round from another point of view, less material and more subjective. The Totality of Spinfoam, an apparent mathematical cross-sectioning of Superspin Modulation, is not unlike Faraday's recognition of the micro connection before Maxwell formatted it into a numerically quantitative generalization. The same can be said for String Theory and QM-TIMESPACE yet to be re-formatted for e-Pi-i resonance, cause-effect modulation. Clear thinking new approaches are required. "You are me and I am you and we are all together" in Temporal Superposition-point Singularity, positioned in Phys-Chem connection to the projection drawing wave-package of axial-tangential In-form-ation formulae, combined perspective of unique multi-phase states of Time Timing, in Totality. As an aside, the Rings of Saturn, like the plane of the Solar System and Disk of the Galaxy, are examples of superimposed resonance, ..timing transition "flow" from the ditty.. "Big Whorles have little Whorles, that feed on their velocity, and little Whorles have lesser Whorles and so on to viscosity." It's the axial-now shifting, AM-FM communication of inherent e-Pi-i "superconducting" resonances, in the aspect of QM-Time field identified as Gravitation, ..Not surprisingly, it's confusing?