| Plan for Physics 200A |
| Lagrangian Mechanics |
| Functionals, variational calculus, Euler-Lagrange equations, principle of least action, conservation laws, constraints, central forces, coupled oscillations, normal modes, symmetries, accelerated frames, rigid bodies, Euler angles, tops, continuum mechanics of strings and membranes. |
| Hamiltonian Mechanics |
| Hamilton’s equations, phase flow, Liouville’s theorem, Poincaré recurrence, Kac ring model, ergodicity, Poisson brackets, canonical transformations, Hamilton-Jacobi method, action-angle variables,adiabatic invariance. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Grading |
There will beseven problem sets, one midterm, and a comprehensive final. Roughly, I will use the following formula to determine grades: 40% HW, 10% midterm, 40% final, 10% intangibles. I expect your homework to be neat, legible, with multiple pages stapled. Failure to meet these expectations could result in tragic consequences. |
| Discussion Board |
| The course home page contains a link to the Physics Department discussion boards. You must register in order to be able to post. This is a place where you can publicly discuss the course, ask questions, tell jokes, post links to interesting web sites, etc. Just keep it clean, folks. I will be checking in regularly. My nom de plume is darovas. |