Classical Mechanics
Classical Mechanics
£53.00
GBPGregory's Classical Mechanics is a major new textbook for undergraduates in mathematics and physics. It is a thorough, self-contained and highly readable account of a subject many students find difficult. The author's clear and systematic style promotes a good understanding of the subject: each concept is motivated and illustrated by worked examples, while problem sets provide plenty of practice for understanding and technique. Computer assisted problems, some suitable for projects, are also included. The book is structured to make learning the subject easy; there is a natural progression from core topics to more advanced ones and hard topics are treated with particular care. A theme of the book is the importance of conservation principles. These appear first in vectorial mechanics where they are proved and applied to problem solving. They reappear in analytical mechanics, where they are shown to be related to symmetries of the Lagrangian, culminating in Noether's theorem.
- Suitable for a wide range of undergraduate mechanics courses given in mathematics and physics departments: no prior knowledge of the subject is assumed
- Profusely illustrated and thoroughly class-tested, with a clear direct style that makes the subject easy to understand: all concepts are motivated and illustrated by the many worked examples included
- Good, accurately set problems, with answers in the book: computer assisted problems and projects are also provided. Model solutions for problems available to teachers from www.cambridge.org/9780521534093
Reviews & endorsements
'The writing here is a picture of clarity and directness … The exercises include plenty of interesting and challenging problems … an attractive and well-written exposition of classical mechanics. I wish it had been my textbook when I was a student.' Mathematical Association of America
Product details
March 2006Adobe eBook Reader
9780511159244
0 pages
247 × 174 mm
0kg
193 b/w illus. 3 tables 348 exercises
This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.
Table of Contents
- Part I. Newtonian Mechanics of a Single Particle:
- 1. The algebra and calculus of vectors
- 2. Velocity, acceleration and scalar angular velocity
- 3. Newton's laws of motion and the law of gravitation
- 4. Problems in particle dynamics
- 5. Linear oscillations
- 6. Energy conservation
- 7. Orbits in a central field
- 8. Non-linear oscillations and phase space
- Part II. Multi-particle Systems:
- 9. The energy principle
- 10. The linear momentum principle
- 11. The angular momentum principle
- Part III. Analytical mechanics:
- 12. Lagrange's equations and conservation principle
- 13. The calculus of variations and Hamilton's principle
- 14. Hamilton's equations and phase space
- Part IV. Further Topics:
- 15. The general theory of small oscillations
- 16. Vector angular velocity and rigid body kinematics
- 17. Rotating reference frames
- 18. Tensor algebra and the inertia tensor
- 19. Problems in rigid body dynamics
- Appendix: centres of mass and moments of inertia
- Answers to the problems
- Bibliography
- Index.
