8.223
Classical Mechanics II
A broad, theoretical treatment of classical mechanics, useful in its own right for treating complex dynamical problems, but essential to understanding the foundations of quantum mechanics and statistical physics. Generalized coordinates, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations, canonical transformations, and Poisson brackets. Applications to continuous media. The relativistic Lagrangian and Maxwell's equations.
January IAP 2017
This undergraduate course is a broad, theoretical treatment of classical mechanics, useful in its own right for treating complex dynamical problems, but essential to understanding the foundations of quantum mechanics and statistical physics.
Readings
- [LL] Chapters 1–5: Part I The Equations of Motion.
- LEC #: 5–6 · TOPICS: Conserved Quantities · READINGS: [LL] Chapters 6–10: Part II Conservation Law.
- [LL] Chapters 11 and 13–15: Part III Integration of the Equations of Motion.
- [LL] Chapters 8–19: Part IV Collisions Between Particles.
- LEC #: 11–12 · TOPICS: Oscillations · READINGS: [LL] Chapters 21–22 and 25–26: Part V Small Oscillations.
- LEC #: 13–14 · TOPICS: Tricky Potentials · READINGS: [LL] Chapters 30+: Part VI Motion of a Rigid Body.
- LEC #: 15–19 · TOPICS: Hamiltonian Mechanics · READINGS: [LL] Chapters 40, 42, and 45–46: Part VII The Canonical Equations.
Prerequisites & course information
Prereq: Calculus II (GIR) and Physics I (GIR) U (IAP) 2-0-4 units
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗January IAP 2017
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.