All Questions
Tagged with calculus classical-mechanics
60
questions
6
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3
answers
1k
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In equation (3) from lecture 7 in Leonard Susskind’s ‘Classical Mechanics’, should the derivatives be partial?
Here are the equations. ($V$ represents a potential function and $p$ represents momentum.)
$$V(q_1,q_2) = V(aq_1 - bq_2)$$
$$\dot{p}_1 = -aV'(aq_1 - bq_2)$$
$$\dot{p}_2 = +bV'(aq_1 - bq_2)$$
Should ...
1
vote
2
answers
126
views
On Landaus&Lifshitz's derivation of the lagrangian of a free particle [duplicate]
I'm reading the first pages of Landaus&Lifshitz's Mechanics tome. I'm looking for some clarification on the derivation of the Lagrange function for the mechanical system composed of a single free ...
1
vote
1
answer
64
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Material to Study the Definition, Algebra, and Use of Infinitesimals in Physics [closed]
This is going to be a rather general question about suggestions on best supplementary material to properly explain the use of infinitesimals (or differentials?) for the purposes of integration or ...
0
votes
1
answer
74
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Derivation of lagrange equation in classical mechanics
I'm currently working on classical mechanics and I am stuck in a part of the derivation of the lagrange equation with generalized coordinates. I just cant figure it out and don't know if it's just ...
- 41
2
votes
5
answers
261
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Why does $\vec{r}\cdot\dot{\vec{r}}=r\dot{r}$?
Why is $$\vec{r}\cdot\dot{\vec{r}}=r\dot {r}$$ true? Before saying anything, I have seen the proofs using spherical coordinates for $$\dot{\vec {r}}= \dot{r}\vec{u_r}+r\dot{\theta}\vec{u_\theta}+r\sin\...
- 69
1
vote
2
answers
118
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Lagrangian total time derivative - continues second-order differential
In the lagrangian, adding total time derivative doesn't change equation of motion.
$$L' = L + \frac{d}{dt}f(q,t).$$
After playing with it, I realize that this is only true if the $f(q,t)$ function has ...
- 525
1
vote
1
answer
48
views
Lagrangian for 2 inertial frames where only Speed is different by small amount
In Landau & Liftshitz’s book p.5, they go ahead and writes down lagrangians for 2 different inertial frames. They say that Lagrangian is a function of $v^2$.
So in one frame, we got $L(v^2)$.
In ...
- 525
-1
votes
1
answer
158
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Recommended physics book(s) that uses calculus and have difficult problems [closed]
What physics book(s) uses calculus and has complex problems (undergrad/olympiad level)?
Context:
I've read "Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday and Resnick" and I found the problems to be ...
0
votes
2
answers
129
views
Does the gradient of potential energy exist independent of coordinates?
Potential energy $U(\vec{r})$ of a conservative force field $\vec{F}$ is defined as a function whose variation between positions $\vec{r}_A$ and $\vec{r}_B$ is the opposite of the work done by the ...
- 577
0
votes
2
answers
63
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Approximation of Small Perturbation [closed]
From Morin's Classical Mechanics, on the chapter of Small Oscillations in Lagrangian Mechanics, he does this approximation on the last equality, I don't understand what happened there.
I get the first ...
- 109
0
votes
0
answers
111
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Question on non-holonomic constraints (This is different to the others)
I know there are many posts on non-holonomic constraints and also many on this exact one but I feel that there is still some confusion on it.
"Consider a disk which rolls without slipping across ...
- 283
1
vote
1
answer
33
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Derivatives of the lagrangian of generalized coordinates [closed]
I know that
$$U= \frac{1}{2} \sum_{j,k} A_{jk} q_j q_k \quad \quad T= \frac{1}{2} \sum_{j,k} m_{jk} \dot{q}_j \dot{q}_k $$
and the lagrangian is
$$ \frac{\partial U}{\partial q_k} - \frac{d}{dt} \...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
54
views
What does this vertical line notation mean?
Here is the definition of the Noether momentum in my script.
$$I = \left.\frac{\partial L}{\partial \dot{x}} \frac{d x}{d \alpha} \right|_{\alpha=0} = \frac{\partial L}{\partial \dot{x}} = m \dot{x} = ...
- 85
0
votes
1
answer
162
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The derivative of rotational kinetic energy in terms of period gives me the wrong answer. Why should I use the product rule? [closed]
This is my first question here so I hope I do it correctly. I've tried to solve this, and google it, but I can't find the answer to this particular question. This equation comes from Carroll and ...
5
votes
2
answers
922
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Rigorously prove the period of small oscillations by directly integrating
This answer proved that
$$\lim_{E\to E_0}2\int_{x_1}^{x_2}\frac{\mathrm dx}{\sqrt{2\left(E-U\!\left(x\right)\right)}}=\frac{2\pi}{\sqrt{U''\!\left(x_0\right)}},$$
where $E_0:=U\!\left(x_0\right)$ is a ...
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