PHY 820: Classical Mechanics

 -- Course Description

Scheduled Time & Place: 11:30-12:20 M W F, 1420BPS

Instructor: Pawel Danielewicz
Office: 223 Cyclotron
Phone: 333-6330 (5-9672 x. 330 from campus)
E-mail: danielewicz@nscl.msu.edu
Office Hours: 1:50-2:40 M F (or by appointment)

Grader: Teng Yang
E-mail: yang@pa.msu.edu

Textbooks:

Required: H. Goldstein, Ch. Poole and J. Safko, Classical Mechanics, 3rd Ed. (Addison Wesley)

More concise: L. D. Landau, E. M. Lifshitz, Mechanics,
V. D. Barger, M. Olsson, Classical Mechanics: A Modern Pespective.
Some topics expanded in: J. V. Jose, E. J. Saletan: Classical Dynamics: A Contemporary Approach.

Grading: Homework - 25%, 2 Midterms - 30%, Final - 35%, Quizzes - 15%

Note: The quizzes will be unannounced. Extra 5% has been added to the quizzes to compensate for absences or being particularly caught by surprise.

The final plays also the role of a subject exam within the departmental graduate degree requirements.
The times planned for the exams are as follows: Mid. I - Oct. 8, Mid. II - Nov. 19, Fin. - Dec. 15.

Planned Topics

Topic Textbook Reading
Introduction 1.1-6
Variational Principle & Lagrange Eqs 2.1-7
Central-Force Problem 3.1-11
Rigid-Body Kinematics 4.1-4, 4.6-10
Rigid-Body Motion 5.1-7
Small Oscillations 6.1-5
Hamilton Eqs 8.1-6
Canonical Transformations 9.1-3, 9.5-6
Hamilton-Jacobi Theory 10.1-6
Classical Chaos 11.1-5
Continuous Systems 13.1-4

Please note:
The final exam takes place on Wednesday, December 15, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, in room 1420 BPS.


Homework: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15


Homework Solutions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15


Quizzes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10


Quiz Solutions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10


Exams: 1, 2


Exam Solutions: 1, 2