Mechanics
From Newton's Laws to Deterministic Chaos
1st Edition
Published on 9. March 2013
XIV, 431 pages
978-3-662-02630-4 (ISBN)
Description
A course in mechanics is of primary importance in any physics teaching program. Scheck's book integrates the various aspects of classical mechanics, relativistic mechanics, and modern topics such as deterministic chaos. Both the physical approach to mechanics and its mathematical foundations are emphasised. With elementary Newtonian mechanics as a starting point, the principles of canonical mechanics in Hamiltonian and Lagrangian formulations are outlined. Rigid bodies are treated in detail, and the basic concepts of special relativity are given. Particular emphasis is put on the geometrical aspects of mechanics, such as geometrical objects on manifolds. A chapter on stability and chaos concludes the book, introducing topics such as the long-time behavior of dynamical flows, deterministic chaos, and chaotic motion in celestial mechanics.
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Content
1. Elementary Newtonian Mechanics.- 2. The Principles of Canonical Mechanics.- 3. The Mechanics of Rigid Bodies.- 4. Relativistic Mechanics.- 5. Geometric Aspects of Mechanics.- 6. Stability and Chaos.- 7. Continuous Systems.- Exercises.- 1: Elementary Newtonian Mechanics.- 2: The Principles of Canonical Mechanics.- 3: The Mechanics of Rigid Bodies.- 4: Relativistic Mechanics.- 5: Geometric Aspects of Mechanics.- 6: Stability and Chaos.- Appendix: Some Mathematical Notions.
