Physics Notes - Herong's Tutorial Notes - v4.01, by Herong Yang
Physics Notes - Herong's Tutorial Notes
https://www.herongyang.com/Physics
Copyright © 2000-2026 Herong Yang. All rights reserved.
This book is a collection of notes on physics. Key sections are: What Is Space, Time and Speed; Frame of Reference; Coordinate Systems; Newton's Laws of Motion; Electromagnetic Fields and Light; Special Theory of Relativity; Time Dilation; Length Contraction; Minkowski spacetime; Lorentz transformation; Minkowski diagram; Hamiltonian and Lagrangian Mechanics; Generalized Coordinates; Phase Space and Phase Portrait; Poisson Bracket Expression. Updated in 2026 (Version v4.01) with minor changes.
Table of Contents
Meter Based on Earth's Meridian
Meter Based on Seconds Pendulum
Meter Prefixes and Other Units
List of Various Distances and Lengths
Introduction of Frame of Reference
Frame of Reference with 2 Objects
2-Dimensional Cartesian Coordinate System
3-Dimensional Cartesian Coordinate System
1 Frame of Reference with 2 Coordinate Systems
Second Prefixes and Other Units
Different Speeds Observed in Different Frames
Falling Ball in Earth Frame of Reference
Falling Ball in Elevator Frame of Reference
Magnetic Force on Moving Charges
Moving Charge Creating Magnetic Field
Biot-Savart Law for Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields of Current Carrying Loops
What Is Magnetic Dipole and Moment
Light Spectrum - Range of Electromagnetic Frequencies
Stimulated Emission of Radiation and Laser
Superposition of Electromagnetic Field Waves
Types of Photon-Atom Interactions
Light Interacting with Flat Surface
Measuring Speed of Light - Roemer's Method
Measuring Speed of Light - Fizeau's Method
Measuring Speed of Light - Foucault's Method
Introduction of Special Relativity
Assumptions of Special Relativity
What Is an Inertial Frame of Reference
The Constancy of the Speed of Light
Time Dilation in Special Relativity
Time Dilation - Moving Clock Is Slower
Demonstration of Time Dilation - Amy on the Train
Demonstration of Time Dilation - Bob on the Ground
Demonstration of Time Dilation - Formula
Elapsed Time between Distant Events
Length Contraction in Special Relativity
Length Contraction - Moving Object Is Shorter
Demonstration of Length Contraction
Length Contraction Formula and Lorentz Factor
Reciprocity of Length Contraction
The Relativity of Simultaneity
What Is the Relativity of Simultaneity
Formula for the Relativity of Simultaneity
Moving Frames and Galilean Transformation
Galilean Diagram of Moving Frames
Minkowski Spacetime and Diagrams
Hamiltonian on Free Fall Motion
Hamiltonian on Simple Harmonic Motion
Hamiltonian on Simple Pendulum Motion
Relation of Momentum and Hamiltonian
Hamiltonian in Cartesian Coordinates
Relation of Momentum and Potential Energy
Hamilton Equations in Cartesian Coordinates
Action - Integral of Lagrangian
Action - Functional of Position Function x(t)
Hamilton's Principle - Stationary Action
Other Proofs of the Lagrange Equation
Lagrange Equation on Free Fall Motion
Lagrange Equation on Simple Harmonic Motion
Lagrangian in Cartesian Coordinates
Lagrange Equations in Cartesian Coordinates
Introduction of Generalized Coordinates
Phase Space and Phase Portrait
Phase Portrait of Simple Harmonic Motion
Phase Portrait of Pendulum Motion
Motion Equations of Linear Systems
Phase Portraits of 2-D Homogeneous Linear Systems
Poisson Bracket and Hamilton Equations
Keywords: Physics, Space, Time, Speed, Mechanics, Relativity