Lecture Notes by Professor Michio Kaku

Introduction

• Professor Michio Kaku: Theoretical physicist at CUNY specializing in string theory.
• Physics impacts modern technology: laser beams, transistors, computers, internet, MRIs, etc.

Personal Journey to Physics

• Inspiration: Intrigued by Einstein's unfinished manuscript.
• Desire to uncover the Unified Field Theory (theory of everything).
• Influence of science fiction (e.g., Flash Gordon) on his childhood.

Physics and Technology

• Physics as the foundation of modern technology and advancements.
• Examples of Physics Applications:
  • Color television, internet, MRI scans, microwaves, etc.
• Understanding physics helps predict future technologies.

History of Physics

Early Beliefs

• Pre-Newtonian era: dominated by superstition and Aristotle's theories.
• Aristotle's Mistakes:
  • Objects move towards Earth due to a 'yearning'.
  • Objects in motion slow down because they 'get tired'.

Newton and the Birth of Modern Physics

• Key events:
  • Isaac Newton discovers the universal force of gravitation by observing an apple fall.
  • Develops calculus to calculate celestial motions.
• Newton's Laws of Motion:
  1. Objects in motion stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force.
  2. Force = Mass x Acceleration (Foundation of the Industrial Revolution).
  3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (law of rockets).

The Electromagnetic Force

• Michael Faraday's Contributions:
  • Demonstrated the properties of electricity via experiments (e.g., Faraday cage).
• James Clerk Maxwell: Unified electricity and magnetism, formulated Maxwell's equations.
  • Light is an electromagnetic wave.

The Nuclear Age

• Einstein's E=mc²: Energy-mass equivalence; explains the energy of stars.
• Nuclear Forces:
  • Weak and strong forces govern particle interactions.
• Particle accelerators study subatomic particles and led to the discovery of antimatter.

The Standard Model of Physics

• Particle Zoo: Hundreds of subatomic particles categorized within the standard model.
• Higgs-Boson: Missing piece in the standard model; sought through experiments.

String Theory

• Proposes all forces can be viewed as vibrations of tiny strings.
• Aims to unify the four fundamental forces of nature (gravity, electromagnetism, weak and strong nuclear forces).
• Research being conducted at the Large Hadron Collider to discover Higgs-Boson and further particles.

Future of Physics

• Potential for discovering new dimensions, universes, and technologies (e.g., wormholes, time machines).
• Challenges of dark matter and dark energy:
  • 73% of the universe is dark energy, 23% dark matter, only 4% visible matter.
• Importance of fostering new talent in physics to tackle unanswered questions.

Conclusion

• Kaku's journey from experimental to theoretical physics.
• Emphasis on finding the fundamental basis of everything in physics.
• Encouragement for future physicists to persist despite challenges in early education.