Physics 5153, Classical Mechanics

Physics 5153, Fall 2014
Classical Mechanics

Professor Kimball A. Milton

Last updated: December 4, 2014 by Kim Milton E-mail

Syllabus for Physics 5153
Mechanics
Fall 2014

Instructor: K. A. Milton

Lecture: MW 1:30-2:45, Nielsen Hall 203

Office: Nielsen Hall 325, extension 36325

Office hours: MWF 4:00 pm -5:00 pm, by appointment, or whenever you can catch me in my office.

Primary Text: Mechanics, by L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz. (Pergamon Press, 1960) (On reserve)

Secondary Text: Mechanics by Arnold Sommerfeld. (Academic Press, 1964).

Supplementary References: (On reserve)

G. A. Bliss, Lectures on the Calculus of Variations, University of Chicago Press

R. Finkelstein, Nonrelativistic Mechanics, Benjamin

H. Goldstein, Classical Mechanics, 1st edition, Addison-Wesley

E. J. Saletan and A. H. Cromer, Theoretical Mechanics, John Wiley

W. Thirring, Classical Dynamical Systems, Springer

A. G. Webster, The Dynamics of Particles and of Rigid, Elastic, and Fluid Bodies, Dover

E. T. Whittaker, Analytical Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies, Cambridge University Press

Prerequisites: Physics 5513 will start with action principles, and the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of the dynamics of point particles. Knowledge of Newton's laws of motion will be assumed. Mathematically, you should know differential equations, vector analysis, and linear algebra.

Grading: The grade in this course will be based upon homework, which will be assigned approximately every week, and on three exams. The weighting will be as follows:

Homework 35%
Midterm Exams 2 x 20%
Final Exam 25%

Late homework will not be accepted.
The examination schedule is as follows:

In class Exam I	Wednesday, October 1
In class Exam II	Wednesday, November 5
Final Exam	Wednesday, December 10, 8:00-10:00am

Tentative Course Outline:

Action Principles: Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Formulations

Conservation Laws and Galilean Relativity

Einsteinian Relativity

One-Dimensional Problems

Two-Body Problems and Central Forces

Oscillation Problems

Collisions Between Particles

Rigid Body Motion

Motion in Non-Inertial Frames

Canonical Formulations and Hamilton-Jacobi Theory

Lecture Notes

Lecture 1-3, August 18-September 3. This has been updated on August 20 to include an appendix on a relativistic particle (pp. 11-12).

Lecture 4-5, September 8, 10 This has been updated on September 10 to include discussion of relative motion and reduced mass. Updated again on October 7 to include new section 2.2 on Hamiltonians.

Lecture 6-8, September 15, 22, 24 This has been updated on September 20 to include problems, and updated September 23 to correct typos and add clarification at end.

Lecture 8-11, September 24, 29, October 6, 8 This has been updated on September 30 to include problems, and sections on motion of a charged particle in a magnetic field, and on relativistic orbits. Updated again on October 7 to include additional problem.

Lecture 12, 13, October 13, 15

Lecture 13-18, October 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, November 3. This has been updated on October 27 to include a problem, more on the driven harmonic oscillator, and a section on normal modes. Typographical corrections added October 28. Further updated on October 31 to include section on damped, driven harmonic oscillator, and an additional problem. Upadated again on November 12 to correct sign errors in Sec. 6.3.1.

Lecture 18-22, November 3, 10, 12, 19, 24 . Updated on November 19 to include section on Euler angles, and on November 24 to include Euler's equations and motion of asymmetric top.

Lecture 23, December 1.

Lecture 24, December 3.

Homework Assignments

Assignment #1, due Monday, September 8: Problems 1 and 2 at end of Chapter 1 of lecture notes; and Problems 1 through 4 in Chapter 1 of Landau and Lifshitz (fill in all steps).

Assignment #2, due Wednesday, September 17: Problems 1, 2, and 3 at end of Chapter 2 of lecture notes; Problems 1, 2, and 3 on p. 21 and Problem 1 on p. 39 of Landau and Lifshitz (fill in all steps).

Assignment #3, due Monday, September 29: Problems 1, 2, and 3 at end of Chapter 3 of lecture notes; Problems 1 and 2, on p. 33-34 (Sec. 14), and Problems 2 and 3, on p. 40 (Sec. 15) of Landau and Lifshitz (fill in all steps).

Assignment #4, due Wednesday, October 15: Problems 1, 2, 3, and 4 in Chapter 4 of lecture notes.

Assignment #5, due Monday, October 27: Problem 1 at end of Chapter 5 of lecture notes; Problems 1 and 2, on p. 43-44 (Sec. 16), Problems 1, 3, and 5, on pp. 50-51 (Sec. 18), and Problem 1, on pp. 54-55 (Sec. 19) of Landau and Lifshitz (fill in all steps). Note that the due date has been changed till Monday, October 27.

Assignment #6, due Monday, November 3: Problem 1 at end of Chapter 6 of lecture notes; Problems 2, 3, and 6, on pp. 60-61 (Sec. 21), Problems 1 and 4, on pp. 64-65 (Sec. 22), and Problems 1 and 2 on pp. 69-70 (Sec. 23) of Landau and Lifshitz (fill in all steps).

Assignment #7, due Monday, November 24: Problem 2 at end of Chapter 6 of lecture notes; Problem on p. 80 (Sec. 26), Problems 1, 2, 4, and 7, on pp. 101-104 (Sec. 32), and Problems 1 and 2 on pp. 112-113 (Sec. 35) of Landau and Lifshitz (fill in all steps). Note that due to the snow day, the due date of the assignment is postponed till Monday.

Assignment #8 due Friday, December 5: Problems in Landau and Lifshitz (fill in all steps): 37.1 (p. 120), 38.1, 2 (pp. 124-5), 39.1, 3 (p. 129), 42.1, 2 (p. 137-8)

Course evaluation

The OU Course Evaluation System is now open through 11:59pm on December 7. Please complete the evaluation of this course online; there is also a version of eValuate for mobile devices. Your responses are completely anonymous. This evaluation is extremely important for the improvement of instruction at OU, and is used by the Administration and the Department in the evaluation of teaching effectiveness.

University Policies

Policy on Religious Holidays: "It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide without penalty for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays."

Academic Integrity: Although collaborative learning is encouraged, including working on problems together, it is expected that assignments turned in represent your own work. Cheating on examinations will not be tolerated. The following is a link to OU's integrity website: http://integrity.ou.edu.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy: "Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunities."

Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues: "Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Please see for commonly asked questions."

Title IX Resources: "For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24.7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office 405-325-2215 (8-5) or the Sexual Assault Response Team 405-615-0013 (24.7) to learn more or to report an incident."

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Physics 5153, Fall 2014 Classical Mechanics