The Mechanical Universe

The Mechanical Universe... And Beyond, is a 52-part telecourse filmed at the California Institute of Technology, and produced by Caltech and INTELECOM Intelligent Telecommunications. The series introduces university level physics, covering topics from Copernicus to quantum mechanics. Produced starting in 1985, the videos make heavy use of historical dramatizations and visual aids to explain physics concepts. The latter were state of the art at the time, incorporating almost 8 hours of computer animation created by computer graphics pioneer Jim Blinn. Each episode opens and closes with a "phantom" lecture by Caltech professor David Goodstein. After more than a quarter century, the series is still often used as a supplemental teaching aid, for its clear explanation of fundamental concepts such as special relativity. The Mechanical Universe lectures are actual freshman physics lectures from Physics 1a and 1b courses at the California Institute of Technology. The room seen in the videos is the Bridge lecture hall. The series can be purchased, or viewed by streaming from the Annenberg website, or can be viewed on other video streaming sites such as YouTube and Google Video.

Released
Jan 01, 1985

Share with friends

Seasons & Episodes

Thumbnail for Introduction Season 1 Episode 1
S01 E01

The Mechanical Universe

Introduction

Season 1 • Episode 1

Watch
Thumbnail for The Law of Falling Bodies Season 1 Episode 2
S01 E02

The Mechanical Universe

The Law of Falling Bodies

Season 1 • Episode 2

Watch
Thumbnail for Derivatives Season 1 Episode 3
S01 E03

The Mechanical Universe

Derivatives

Season 1 • Episode 3

Watch
Thumbnail for Inertia Season 1 Episode 4
S01 E04

The Mechanical Universe

Inertia

Season 1 • Episode 4

Watch
Thumbnail for Vectors Season 1 Episode 5
S01 E05

The Mechanical Universe

Vectors

Season 1 • Episode 5

Watch
Thumbnail for Newton's Laws Season 1 Episode 6
S01 E06

The Mechanical Universe

Newton's Laws

Season 1 • Episode 6

Watch
Thumbnail for Integration Season 1 Episode 7
S01 E07

The Mechanical Universe

Integration

Season 1 • Episode 7

Watch
Thumbnail for The Apple and the Moon Season 1 Episode 8
S01 E08

The Mechanical Universe

The Apple and the Moon

Season 1 • Episode 8

Watch
Thumbnail for Moving in Circles Season 1 Episode 9
S01 E09

The Mechanical Universe

Moving in Circles

Season 1 • Episode 9

Watch
Thumbnail for Fundamental Forces Season 1 Episode 10
S01 E10

The Mechanical Universe

Fundamental Forces

Season 1 • Episode 10

Watch
Thumbnail for Gravity, Electricity, Magnetism Season 1 Episode 11
S01 E11

The Mechanical Universe

Gravity, Electricity, Magnetism

Season 1 • Episode 11

Watch
Thumbnail for The Millikan Experiment Season 1 Episode 12
S01 E12

The Mechanical Universe

The Millikan Experiment

Season 1 • Episode 12

Watch
Thumbnail for Conservation of Energy Season 1 Episode 13
S01 E13

The Mechanical Universe

Conservation of Energy

Season 1 • Episode 13

Watch
Thumbnail for Potential Energy Season 1 Episode 14
S01 E14

The Mechanical Universe

Potential Energy

Season 1 • Episode 14

Watch
Thumbnail for Conservation of Momentum Season 1 Episode 15
S01 E15

The Mechanical Universe

Conservation of Momentum

Season 1 • Episode 15

Watch
Thumbnail for Harmonic Motion Season 1 Episode 16
S01 E16

The Mechanical Universe

Harmonic Motion

Season 1 • Episode 16

Watch
Thumbnail for Resonance Season 1 Episode 17
S01 E17

The Mechanical Universe

Resonance

Season 1 • Episode 17

Watch
Thumbnail for Waves Season 1 Episode 18
S01 E18

The Mechanical Universe

Waves

Season 1 • Episode 18

Watch
Thumbnail for Angular Momentum Season 1 Episode 19
S01 E19

The Mechanical Universe

Angular Momentum

Season 1 • Episode 19

Watch
Thumbnail for Torques and Gyroscopes Season 1 Episode 20
S01 E20

The Mechanical Universe

Torques and Gyroscopes

Season 1 • Episode 20

Watch
Thumbnail for Kepler's Three Laws Season 1 Episode 21
S01 E21

The Mechanical Universe

Kepler's Three Laws

Season 1 • Episode 21

Watch
Thumbnail for The Kepler Problem Season 1 Episode 22
S01 E22

The Mechanical Universe

The Kepler Problem

Season 1 • Episode 22

Watch
Thumbnail for Energy and Eccentricity Season 1 Episode 23
S01 E23

The Mechanical Universe

Energy and Eccentricity

Season 1 • Episode 23

Watch
Thumbnail for Navigating in Space Season 1 Episode 24
S01 E24

The Mechanical Universe

Navigating in Space

Season 1 • Episode 24

Watch
Thumbnail for Kepler to Einstein Season 1 Episode 25
S01 E25

The Mechanical Universe

Kepler to Einstein

Season 1 • Episode 25

Watch
Thumbnail for Harmony of the Spheres Season 1 Episode 26
S01 E26

The Mechanical Universe

Harmony of the Spheres

Season 1 • Episode 26

Watch
Thumbnail for Beyond the Mechanical Universe Season 1 Episode 27
S01 E27

The Mechanical Universe

Beyond the Mechanical Universe

Season 1 • Episode 27

Watch
Thumbnail for Static Electricity Season 1 Episode 28
S01 E28

The Mechanical Universe

Static Electricity

Season 1 • Episode 28

Watch
Thumbnail for The Electric Field Season 1 Episode 29
S01 E29

The Mechanical Universe

The Electric Field

Season 1 • Episode 29

Watch
Thumbnail for Potential and Capacitance Season 1 Episode 30
S01 E30

The Mechanical Universe

Potential and Capacitance

Season 1 • Episode 30

Watch
Thumbnail for Voltage, Energy, and Force Season 1 Episode 31
S01 E31

The Mechanical Universe

Voltage, Energy, and Force

Season 1 • Episode 31

Watch
Thumbnail for The Electric Battery Season 1 Episode 32
S01 E32

The Mechanical Universe

The Electric Battery

Season 1 • Episode 32

Watch
Thumbnail for Electric Circuits Season 1 Episode 33
S01 E33

The Mechanical Universe

Electric Circuits

Season 1 • Episode 33

Watch
Thumbnail for Magnetism Season 1 Episode 34
S01 E34

The Mechanical Universe

Magnetism

Season 1 • Episode 34

Watch
Thumbnail for The Magnetic Field Season 1 Episode 35
S01 E35

The Mechanical Universe

The Magnetic Field

Season 1 • Episode 35

Watch
Thumbnail for Vector Fields and Hydrodynamics Season 1 Episode 36
S01 E36

The Mechanical Universe

Vector Fields and Hydrodynamics

Season 1 • Episode 36

Watch
Thumbnail for Electromagnetic Induction Season 1 Episode 37
S01 E37

The Mechanical Universe

Electromagnetic Induction

Season 1 • Episode 37

Watch
Thumbnail for Alternating Current Season 1 Episode 38
S01 E38

The Mechanical Universe

Alternating Current

Season 1 • Episode 38

Watch
Thumbnail for Maxwell's Equations Season 1 Episode 39
S01 E39

The Mechanical Universe

Maxwell's Equations

Season 1 • Episode 39

Watch
Thumbnail for Optics Season 1 Episode 40
S01 E40

The Mechanical Universe

Optics

Season 1 • Episode 40

Watch
Thumbnail for The Michelson-Morley Experiment Season 1 Episode 41
S01 E41

The Mechanical Universe

The Michelson-Morley Experiment

Season 1 • Episode 41

Watch
Thumbnail for The Lorentz Transformation Season 1 Episode 42
S01 E42

The Mechanical Universe

The Lorentz Transformation

Season 1 • Episode 42

Watch
Thumbnail for Velocity and Time Season 1 Episode 43
S01 E43

The Mechanical Universe

Velocity and Time

Season 1 • Episode 43

Watch
Thumbnail for Mass, Momentum, Energy Season 1 Episode 44
S01 E44

The Mechanical Universe

Mass, Momentum, Energy

Season 1 • Episode 44

Watch
Thumbnail for Temperature and Gas Laws Season 1 Episode 45
S01 E45

The Mechanical Universe

Temperature and Gas Laws

Season 1 • Episode 45

Watch
Thumbnail for Engine of Nature Season 1 Episode 46
S01 E46

The Mechanical Universe

Engine of Nature

Season 1 • Episode 46

Watch
Thumbnail for Entropy Season 1 Episode 47
S01 E47

The Mechanical Universe

Entropy

Season 1 • Episode 47

Watch
Thumbnail for Low Temperatures Season 1 Episode 48
S01 E48

The Mechanical Universe

Low Temperatures

Season 1 • Episode 48

Watch
Thumbnail for The Atom Season 1 Episode 49
S01 E49

The Mechanical Universe

The Atom

Season 1 • Episode 49

Watch
Thumbnail for Particles and Waves Season 1 Episode 50
S01 E50

The Mechanical Universe

Particles and Waves

Season 1 • Episode 50

Watch
Thumbnail for From Atoms to Quarks Season 1 Episode 51
S01 E51

The Mechanical Universe

From Atoms to Quarks

Season 1 • Episode 51

Watch
Thumbnail for The Quantum Mechanical Universe Season 1 Episode 52
S01 E52

The Mechanical Universe

The Quantum Mechanical Universe

Season 1 • Episode 52

Watch

By browsing this website, you accept our cookies policy.