PHYS 3314 - Intermediate Mechanics

(PBS)

Spring. 4 credits.

Forbidden Overlap: Students may not receive credit for both PHYS 3314 and PHYS 3318. Prerequisites: PHYS 2208 or PHYS 2214; PHYS 2216 (or equivalent) and MATH 2940 (or equivalent). Assumes prior introduction to linear algebra and Fourier analysis. Intended for physics majors. PHYS 3318 covers similar material but is aimed at students with an exceptional background in physics/math.

Staff.

Likely topics include Lagrangian mechanics; Newtonian mechanics based on a variational principle; conservation laws from symmetries; two-body orbits due to a central force; analysis of scattering experiments; small amplitude oscillating systems including normal mode analysis; rigid body motion; motion in non-inertial reference frames; and nonlinear behavior including chaos. Students not only become more familiar with analytic methods for solving problems in mechanics but also gain experience with computer tools. At the level of Classical Mechanics by John R. Taylor.