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0 votes
1 answer
130 views

Working with infinitesimal quantities and the motivation behind it

So in my freshman physics class, in classical mechanics the homework was (it's solved already, this isn't a homework thread) the following: "A thin, spinning ring is placed on a table, that divides ...
Johnny's user avatar
  • 163
0 votes
2 answers
239 views

$\int (f(x+\delta x) - f(x)) dx = \int \left ( \frac{df(x)}{dx} \delta x \right) dx$

From Landau and Lifshitz's Mechanics Vol: 1 $$ \delta S= \int \limits_{t_1}^{t_2} L(q + \delta q, \dot q + \delta \dot q, t)dt - \int \limits_{t_1}^{t_2} L(q, \dot q, t)dt \tag{2.3b}$$ $$\Rightarrow ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
55 views

Change of variable in function

Suppose I have a function $h(\theta)$ measuring the height of a piston, with $\theta = \omega t$. I would like to know the vertical acceleration of this piston as $\omega$ changes at the point $\theta ...
Mikkel Rev's user avatar
  • 1,356
0 votes
2 answers
2k views

Derivation of generalized velocities in Lagrangian mechanics

So I know that: $$r_i = r_i(q_1, q_2,q_3,...., q_n, t)$$ Where $r_i$ represent the position of the $i$th part of a dynamical system and the $q_n$ represent the dynamical variables of the system ($n$ =...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
177 views

Acceleration as the second derivative of $e^{-\frac{1}{t^2}}$ [duplicate]

If we have, say, a material point with a zero velocity at the time $t=0$, and this point starts moving at a time $t>0$ , then we look at the force impressed on the point by inspecting the second ...
HaroldF's user avatar
  • 139
0 votes
1 answer
328 views

Looking for a calculus based physics book [duplicate]

Ive gotten through University Physics by freedman et al and I realised i really enjoy the calculus problems in them which involve integrating infinitismal element (moment of inertia, charged rods, ...
1 vote
3 answers
2k views

Integration over arbitrary domains

In mathematical physics, we sometimes encounter situations where we have integrals of the forms: $$\text{(case 1):}\ \ \ \ \int\limits_{D} f(x,y,z) dx dy dz =k$$ $$\text{(case 2):}\ \ \ \ \int\...
user135626's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the curl of $k\hat{r}/r^n$?

I'm trying to find the curl of ${\bf F}(r) = k \hat{r}/r^n$. I think that this converts to: $$ k\left(\frac{\hat{x}}{r} + \frac{\hat{y}}{r} + \frac{\hat{z}}{r}\right)\frac{1}{(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)^{n/2}} ...
AnkilP's user avatar
  • 13
1 vote
0 answers
258 views

Partial derivative of $v$ w.r.t. $x$ in Lagrangian dynamics [duplicate]

In Lagrangian dynamics, when using the Lagrangian thus: $$ \frac{d}{dt}(\frac{\partial \mathcal{L} }{\partial \dot{q_j}})- \frac{\partial \mathcal{L} }{\partial q_j} = 0 $$ often we get terms such ...
Bea's user avatar
  • 11
3 votes
2 answers
845 views

Moment of inertia integral has mass, not radius differential?

We've been learning about the derivation for moment of inertia as: $$\int r^2 dm$$ However, for me, this looks like it's a bit backwards. As a first year calc student, I see the differential in the ...
rb612's user avatar
  • 1,177
1 vote
2 answers
584 views

Expansion in $\epsilon$ and $v^2$ dependence of the Lagrangian - Landau & Lifshitz's Mechanics [duplicate]

On page 4 of Landau & Lifshitz's Mechanics they say $$L\left({v^\prime}^2\right) = L\left(v^2 + 2\bf{v \cdot} \bf{\epsilon} + \epsilon^2\right).$$ Expanding this expression in powers of $\...
Dubstep365's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
755 views

Composing integrals in physics?

OK... so this problem isn't really specific... it's more of a conceptual puzzle. I've recently started using integrals while solving problems in physics (specifically Newtonian Mechanics and other ...
Knight1805's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Landau's derivation of a free particle's kinetic energy- expansion of a function?

I was reading a bit of Landau and Lifshitz's Mechanics the other day and ran into the following part, where the authors are about to derive the kinetic energy of a free particle. They use the fact ...
Physics Llama's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
236 views

What's the proper interpretation of canceling infinitesimals? [duplicate]

In most textbooks of physics I've found this demonstration of work-kinetic energy theorem: $$\begin{align} W &= \int_{x_{1}}^{x_{2}} F(x)\ dx \tag{1}\\ &= \int_{x_{1}}^{x_{2}} m\cdot a\ dx \...
user246185's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
110 views

Showing $ \textbf{F} \cdot d\textbf{s} = -dV$ is equivalent to $ F_s = -\frac{\partial V}{\partial s}$

Can someone please explain how the following $$ \textbf{F} \cdot d\textbf{s} = -dV$$ is equivalent to $$ F_s = -\frac{\partial V}{\partial s}$$ using some intermediate steps. I don't follow this ...
Joebevo's user avatar
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