Talks
Animating New Physics
MIT IAP talk, Jan 12-14, 2011, Rm 3-270, 3-5PM
YouTube videos
As 2 hour videos
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C529FA58793B6AA8
Broken into ~half hour
Day 1: Derive Maxwell and more
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=AE8B720B65BA02F2
Day2: Quaternion quantum field theory
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6CED7E1532587207
Day 3: Analytic Animations (sorry, bad sound recordings)
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B744056FA0DBC0E4
Derive the Maxwell equations and more
MIT IAP talk, Jan 12, 2011, Rm 3-270, 3-5PM
Description: Tell God what to say using high school math (can you factor B2 - E2?) packaged in an old and unfamiliar way known as quaternions. Applying the Euler-Lagrange equations to this Lagrangian (about as tough as a Sudoku puzzle), the Maxwell equations will be derived. The derivation will be repeated with an even less popular rule for spacetime multiplication, one with no minus signs at all, leading to field equations for gravity. Combine these two, and the result unifies gravity with the other three forces of Nature but without the Higgs. The Lagrangian and field equations all fit on a t-shirt which will be given to participants for free so long as they pre-register stating t-shirt size (S-M-L-XL-XXL) and color preference (black with white/yellow lettering or white with black/pink lettering).
PDFs:
1.1 Finding meaning in the t-shirt
1.2 The pop quiz
1.3 Merge complex numbers, scalars, vectors to create quaternions
1.4 Third grade math or graph theory 18.001
1.5 Drive the Euler-Lagrange equations
1.6 We can all agree on Lorentz invariants
1.7 Derive the homogeneous Maxwell equations
1.8 Derive the source Maxwell equations
1.9 Derive the source gravity equations
1.10 Derive the homogeneous gravity equations (not)
1.11 Derive the source unified equations
1.12 Group (multiplication) theory in the standard model
1.13 Spotting spin 1 and spin 2 in Lagrange densities
1.14 Solution for the static Gauss's law G field equations
Derive the Maxwell equations and more (the WHOLE thing)
Quaternion Quantum Field Theory Demystified
MIT IAP talk, Jan 13, 2011, Rm 3-270, 3-5PM
Description: The 2 biggest ideas ever created by physics, calculus and spacetime, collide. When a quaternion derivative definition is done correctly using a clever 2 limit process, the result is a time-like derivative for classical physics where events are ordered in time. The space-like derivative may well apply to quantum mechanics. The question of why quantum mechanics is weird may have a new answer.
Div, grad, curl and all that live in the house of quaternions. Four simple rules will be used to rewrite well-know physics equations with quaternions: 1) keep 4-vectors together 2) drop all factors of i 3) write all constants 4) make equations dimensionless. This approach will be applied to Newton's second law, the uncertainty principle, the Schrodinger wave equation, the Klein-Gordon equation and the Dirac equation. The links between these vital equations are clearer when the same algebra tools are used consistently. Using quaternion animations, a visual understanding of the differences between classical physics, quantum mechanics, and quantum field theory will be supplied. Survive this much hard core math to receive a "Nerds Know" bumper sticker.
PDFs:
2.1 Why quantum_mechanics is weird
2.2 One method to calculate it all
2.3 Apply the method to Newton's 2nd law
2.4 Uncertainty and certainty in QM
2.5 The Schrödinger simple scalar equation
2.6 Klein-Gordon + the phase
2.7 The Dirac equation squared is Klein-Gordon
Quaternion Quantum Mechanics Demystified (the WHOLE thing)
Analytic Animations Using Quaternions
MIT IAP talk, Jan 13, 2011, Rm 3-270, 3-5PM
Description: René Descartes gave us analytic geometry, the ability to transform an algebraic expression into a static graph. Modernize this old power tool to make animations from the same algebraic expressions. When animated, triangles and squares are fleeting but of interest to physicists. Polar coordinates gain new meaning when connected to events in spacetime and velocity.
A vast new way of thinking visually about time's relationships with space is opening up. For those interested, a dinner will follow the talk at the Asgard Bar & Grill where any can share their own big vision. A free drink will be provided for anyone wearing the "No stinking Higgs" t-shirt.
