Exploring Classical Mechanics

Description

This widly used text teaches analytical mechanics, the first chapter in the study of theoretical physics. Its methods and ideas are crucially important as they form the basis of all other branches of theoretical physics including quantum mechanics, statistical physics, and field theory. Most of the problems are original to this book.

• Helps students establish and reinforce connections with other branches of physics
• Exercises to suit students with different levels of knowledge
• Introduces a new approach to facilitate students' ability to be open-minded and think outside the box
• Extensively classroom tested, with detailed solutions for self-study

New to this edition

• 25% of content is new and updated
• Extra problems on oscillations of complex systems
• Expanded section on the motion of a solid body

About the Author(s)

G. L. Kotkin, Full Professor and Chair of Theoretical Physics, Novosibirsk State University, and V. G. Serbo, Full Professor and Chair of Theoretical Physics, Novosibirsk State University

Gleb L. Kotkin graduated from the Physics Department of Moscow State University in 1958. Since 1962, he has taught at Novosibirsk State University, where he is currently a full professor and Chair of Theoretical Physics. He has authored six monographs. Prof. Kotkin has also published around 100 scientific works. Among them there are two papers about photon-photon colliders with citation indexes of 749 and 606.

Valeriy G. Serbo graduated from the Physics Department of Leningrad State University in 1962. Since 1965, he has taught at Novosibirsk State University, where he is currently a full professor and Chair of Theoretical Physics. He has been awarded the recognition of Honored Worker in Higher Education of the Russian Federation. He has authored five monographs and more than 150 scientific papers. Among them there are such widely known works as the review in Physics Reports ("The two-photon particle production mechanism ...") and two papers about photon-photon colliders, with citation indexes 1218, 749, and 606 respectively. He has been a visiting professor at a number of universities, including the University of Heidelberg, University of Milan, University of Paris VI, University of Minnesota, and scientific institutions such as Helmholtz-Institute Jena and Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.

Table of Contents

1:Integration of one-dimensional equations of motion
2:Motion of a particle in three-dimensional fields
3:Scattering in a given field. Collision between particles
4:Lagrangian equations of motion. Conservation laws
5:Small oscillations of systems with one degree of freedom
6:Small oscillations of systems with several degrees of freedom
7:Oscillations of linear chains
8:Non-linear oscillations
9:Rigid-body motion. Non-inertial coordinate systems
10:Hamiltonian equations of motion. Poisson brackets
11:Canonical transformations
12:The Hamilton-Jacobi equation
13:Adiabatic invariants

Reviews

"Review from previous edition An interesting, even charming book [...] that certainly belongs to every university physics library, as well as in the private libraries of the teachers of mechanics. " - R.M. More, University of Pittsburgh, American Journal of Physics Vol 40, 1353 (1972)

"The outstanding value of this work is in the 211 pages of "Solutions". The authors' objective in preparing these extensive solutions is stated in their preface, in part as follows: "As a rule, the solution of a problem is not finished with obtaining the required formulae. It is necessary to analyse the results, and this is by no means a mechanical part of the solution. In particular, it is very desirable to study limiting cases." The authors are notably successful in achieving their objective. [...] The book will interest both students and teachers and prove indispensable to serious students who have acquired only a modest mathematical sophistication. " - S.L. Quimby, Columbia University, Physics Today Vol. 25, October 1972