PHYS 242

The motion of particles is behind many phenomena in nature and is called classical mechanics. It is used in aerodynamics, climate modelling, and the motion of planets and galaxies, for instance. Its main tool is Newton’s second law, and this course introduces methods to use it: energy conservation, reference frames, symmetries and conservation laws, and constraints. Analytical and numerical methods will be used to solve the second law. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulation of classical mechanics will be discussed.