Purpose and Emphasis. Mechanics not only is the oldest branch of physics but was and still is the basis for all of theoretical physics. Quantum mechanics can hardly be understood, perhaps cannot even be formulated, without a good kno- edge of general mechanics. Field theories such as electrodynamics borrow their formal framework and many of their building principles from mechanics. In short, throughout the many modern developments of physics where one frequently turns back to the principles of classical mechanics its model character is felt. For this reason it is not surprising that the presentation of mechanics reflects to some - tent the development of modern physics and that today this classical branch of theoretical physics is taught rather differently than at the time of Arnold S- merfeld, in the 1920s, or even in the 1950s, when more emphasis was put on the theoryandtheapplicationsofpartial-differentialequations. Today,symmetriesand invariance principles, the structure of the space-time continuum, and the geom- rical structure of mechanics play an important role. The beginner should realize that mechanics is not primarily the art of describing block-and-tackles, collisions of billiard balls, constrained motions of the cylinder in a washing machine, or - cycle riding.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
From the reviews of the fourth edition:
"This is a solid book. By its presentation: 528 thick pages, of excellent print quality, hard bounded with a hard cover. By its content: a rigorous presentation, in a clear and accurate language, of all aspects of mechanics normally seen in the physics graduate programme . including examples - analytical and numerical -, exercises, solutions and a dictionary-like bibliography of the most famous mechanists. . A great book; perhaps a companion of any physicist." (Michel Crucifix, Physicalia, Vol. 28 (1), 2006)
"In this English translation of the first volume of German treatise on theoretical physics . the author presents mechanics both as the oldest branch of physics and the basis of modern theoretical physics. . A large number of exercises, together with their solutions are given for each chapter, and strong mathematical tools are used over the book. Both a modern treatment and a pedagogic character of the presentation allow to recommend the book to students of various levels, as well as to mathematicians and physicists." (Petre P. Teodorescu, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1091 (17), 2006)
"This weighty volume, with over 500 pages, is widely recommended in German universities . . based on an advanced undergraduate, two semester, course for students of applied mathematics and theoretical physics. . The print font and diagrams are particularly clear. . there are nearly 100 pages of problems at the end of the book. These are particularly valuable for the student and contain questions and solutions which are arranged according to chapter. . All university libraries should include a copy of this book . ." (Dr. C. Isenberg, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 46 (6), 2005)
