Advanced Mechanics

3 credits

Variational calculus, Lagrangian dynamics, rigid body motion including free and forced precession, Hamiltonian mechanics, Poisson brackets, canonical coordinates, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, action angle variables. Introduction to dynamical chaos: determinism, Lyapunov exponents. [3-0-1] Prerequisite: One of PHYS 216, ENPH 270 and one of MATH 215, MATH 255, MATH 256, MATH 258.