The Feynman Lectures on Physics, by Richard Feynman, is perhaps his most accessible work for anyone with an interest in physics and today is considered to be the classic introduction to modern physics, including information on mathematics, Newtonian physics, quantum physics, and even the relation of physics to other sciences. The six most readily accessible chapters of the book were later compiled into a book entitled Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher, and the next six hardest in Six Not So Easy Pieces: Einstein's Relativity, Symmetry and Space-Time.

The first volume, for example, shows how to solve the N-body differential equation for the motion of the planets numerically, a feat which would have impressed Isaac Newton. The second volume is mainly on electrodynamics and electromagnetism. The third volume, on quantum mechanics, shows, for example, how the double-slit experiment contains the essential feature of quantum mechanics.

The making of the Lectures

By 1960, Richard Feynman was already a legend in his own time, at age 42, his research and discoveries in physics had resolved a number of troubling inconsistencies in several fundamental theories. In particular it was his work in Quantum Electrodynamics which would lead him to the award in 1965 of the Nobel Prize. At the same time that Feynman was at the pinnacle of his fame, the faculty of the California Institute of Technology was concerned about the quality of the introductory courses being offered to the undergraduate students. It was felt that these were burdened by an old fashion syllabus and that the exciting discoveries of recent years, many of which had occurred at Caltech, were not being conveyed to the students.

Thus it was decided to reconfigure the first physics course offered to students at Caltech, with the goal being to generate more excitement to the students. Who better to teach this course than the most famous lecturer on physics on campus? To the surprise of the Department, Feynman readily agreed to give the course, though only once. Aware of the fact that this would be an historic event, Caltech recorded each lecture and took photographs of each drawing made on the blackboard by Feynman.

Based on the lectures and the tape recordings, a team of physicist and graduate students put together a manuscript that would become Richard Feynman's most widely read and influential scientific work: The Feynman Lectures on Physics.

As the two year course was still being completed, word of it, spread throughout the physics community and by the end of the two year period, more lectures were being attended by physicist and postgraduate students than the undergraduates for whom it was originally intended. The final result was however, as Caltech had hoped; the encapsulation of the entire field of physics by its greatest living practitioner.

Addison-Wesley, published a collection of problems to accompany The Feynman Lectures on Physics. The problem sets were first used in the 1962-63 academic year and organized by Robert B. Leighton. It should be noted that some of the problems are sophisticated enough to require understanding of Kolmogorov's zero-one law, for example.

Addison-Wesley also released all the audio tapes of the lectures, over 103 hours with Richard Feynman, in CD format after remastering the sound and clearing the recordings.

Contents of The Feynman Lectures on Physics

Volume 1. Mainly mechanics, radiation, and heat

Chapter 1. Atoms in motion
Chapter 2. Basic Physics
Chapter 3. The relation of physics to other sciences
Chapter 4. Conservation of energy
Chapter 5. Time and distance
Chapter 6. Probability
Chapter 7. The theory of gravitation
Chapter 8. Motion
Chapter 9. Newton's laws of dynamics
Chapter 10. Conservation of momentum
Chapter 11. Vectors
Chapter 12. Characteristics of force
Chapter 13. Work and potential energy (A)
Chapter 14. Work and potential energy (conclusion)
Chapter 15. The special theory of relativity
Chapter 16. Relativistic energy and momentum
Chapter 17. Space-time
Chapter 18. Rotation in two dimensions
Chapter 19. Center of mass; Moment of inertia
Chapter 20. Rotation in space
Chapter 21. The harmonic oscillator
Chapter 22. Algebra
Chapter 23. Resonance
Chapter 24. Transients
Chapter 25. Linear systems and review
Chapter 26. Optics: The principle of least time
Chapter 27. Geometrical optics
Chapter 28. Electromagnetic radiation
Chapter 29. Interference
Chapter 30. Diffraction
Chapter 31. The origin of the refractive index
Chapter 32. Radiation damping . Light scattering
Chapter 33. Polarization
Chapter 34. Relativistic effects in radiation
Chapter 35. Color vision
Chapter 36. Mechanisms of seeing
Chapter 37. Quantum behavior
Chapter 38. The Relation of Wave and particle viewpoints
Chapter 39. The kinetic theory of gases
Chapter 40. The principles of statistical mechanics
Chapter 41. The brownian movement
Chapter 42. Applications of kinetic theory
Chapter 43. Diffusion
Chapter 44. The laws of thermodynamics
Chapter 45. Illustrations of thermodynamics
Chapter 46. Ratchet and pawl
Chapter 47. Sound. The wave equation
Chapter 48. Beats
Chapter 49. Modes
Chapter 50. Harmonics
Chapter 51. Waves
Chapter 52. Symmetry in physical laws

Volume 2. Mainly electromagnetism and matter

Chapter 1. Electromagnetism
Chapter 2. Differential calculus of vector fields
Chapter 3. Vector integral calculus
Chapter 4. Electrostatics
Chapter 5. Application of Gauss' law
Chapter 6. The electric field in various circumstances
Chapter 7. The electric field in various circumstances (continued)
Chapter 8. Electrostatic energy
Chapter 9. Electricity in the atmosphere
Chapter 10. Dielectrics
Chapter 11. Inside dielectrics
Chapter 12. Electrostatic analogs
Chapter 13. Magnetostatics
Chapter 14. The magnetic field in various situations
Chapter 15. The vector potential
Chapter 16. Induced currents
Chapter 17. The laws of induction
Chapter 18. The Maxwell equations
Chapter 19. The principle of least action
Chapter 20. Solutions of Maxwell's equations in free space
Chapter 21. Solutions of Maxwell's equations with currents and charges
Chapter 22. AC circuits
Chapter 23. Cavity resonators
Chapter 24. Waveguides
Chapter 25. Electrodynamics in relativistic notation
Chapter 26. Lorentz transformations of the fields
Chapter 27. Field energy and field momentum
Chapter 28. Electromagnetic mass
Chapter 29. The motion of charges in electric and magnetic fields
Chapter 30. The internal geometry of crystals
Chapter 31. Tensors
Chapter 32. Refractive index of dense materials
Chapter 33. Reflection from surfaces
Chapter 34. The magnetism of matter
Chapter 35. Paramagnetism and magnetic resonance
Chapter 36. Ferromagnetism
Chapter 37. Magnetic materials
Chapter 38. Elasticity
Chapter 39. Elastic materials
Chapter 40. The flow of dry water
Chapter 41. The flow of wet water
Chapter 42. Curved space

Volume 3. Quantum mechanics

Chapter 1. Quantum behavior
Chapter 2. The relation of wave and particle viewpoints
Chapter 3. Probability amplitudes
Chapter 4. Identical particles
Chapter 5. Spin one
Chapter 6. Spin one-half
Chapter 7. The dependence of amplitudes on time
Chapter 8. The hamiltonian matrix
Chapter 9. The ammonia maser
Chapter 10. Other two-state systems
Chapter 11. More two-state systems
Chapter 12. The hyperfine splitting in hydrogen
Chapter 13. Propagation in a crystal lattice
Chapter 14. Semiconductors
Chapter 15. The independent particle approximation
Chapter 16. The dependence of amplitudes on position
Chapter 17. Symmetry and conservation laws
Chapter 18. Angular momentum
Chapter 19. The hydrogen atom and the periodic table
Chapter 20. Operators
Chapter 21. The Schrödinger equation in a classical context: a seminar on superconductivity

Quotes about The Feynman Lectures on Physics

• Feynman once commented, about these three volumes: "[This set of books] has views which are very close to my own."

Publishing information

The Feynman Lectures on Physics (with Leighton and Sands). 3 volumes 1964, 1966. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 63-20717

• ISBN 0201021153 (1970 paperback three-volume set)
• ISBN 0201500647 (1989 commemorative hardcover three-volume set)