School of Mathematics School of Mathematics
Course 241 - Mechanics 2002-03 (SF Mathematics, SF Theoretical Physics, optional for JS Mathematics, JS & SS Two-subject Moderatorship )
Lecturer: Dr. Ivo Sachs
Requirements/prerequisites: 131, 141

Duration:
Number of lectures per week: 3

Assessment:
End-of-year Examination: One 3-hour examination

Description: The first part of the course deal with classical mechanics and is a continuation of course 141. Lagrange equations are introduced and applied to various dynamical problems. The course continues with an introduction to the methods of analytical dynamics developed by Hamilton. Small oscillations are treated. Liouville theorem is discussed. The course then provides an introduction to Quantum Mechanics. Topics covered: Uncertainty Principle X and P representation: one dimensional harmonic oscillator and one dimensional potential problems including and scattering and bound state problems.

The course then provides an introduction to special relativity, the general and special Lorentz transformations, kinematics of special relativity with applications and relativistic mechanics.

Objectives: Introduction to Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, Introduction to quantum mechanism and to special relativity.

Textbooks:
Classical Mechanics     H. Goldstein/Classical Mechanics     L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz
Variational Principles of Mechanics     C. Lanczos
Special Relativity     W. Rindler (Oxford Science Publications 2nd edition (1991))
Special Relativity     A.P. French (The M.I.T. Introductory Physics Series).

Mar 27, 2003

Mar 27, 2003


File translated from TEX by TTH, version 2.70.
On 27 Mar 2003, 10:29.