The first half of this unit deals with the general methods of Lagrange and Hamilton, a reformulation of classical mechanics in a way that provides new and very general methods of solution, new insights into physics, and establishes connections between classical and quantum mechanics. Topics include: Lagrange's equation; cyclic coordinates; symmetry and conservation laws; Hamilton's equations; Poisson brackets; and Hamilton's principle. In the second half of the unit, attention is turned to the theory of statistical mechanics, the main aim of which is to describe the thermodynamic properties of macroscopic systems in terms of the behaviour of the immense number of particles (atoms) of... -- Course Website
Instructor: Physics staff
Prerequisites: Permission of Executive Dean of Faculty
