PY 411: MECHANICS

SYLLABUS FOR FALL '04



   Date   Chapters  HW   Topics
   ----   --------  --   ------
W  8/17    1.1-2       introduction / remember F=ma?
F  8/19    1.1-3    1  vector calculus 
M  8/22    1.4-5       conservation of momentum
W  8/24    1.6-7       coordinate dependencies
F  8/26    2.1-2    2  add resistive force
M  8/29    2.3-4       ballistic trajectory
W  8/31    2.5-7       Lorentz force
F  9/02    1,2      3  review for first test
M  9/05      --- no class --
W  9/07     ***  first midterm  *** 
F  9/09    3.1
M  9/12    3.2         
W  9/14    3.3
F  9/16    3.4-5    4
M  9/19    4.1
W  9/21    4.2-3       conservative forces         
F  9/23    4.4-5    5  
M  9/26    4.6-7         
W  9/28    4.8      
F  9/30   
M 10/03    3,4         review for second test          
W 10/05    ***  second midterm  ***       
F 10/07    --- no class --  
M 10/10    5.1-2       simple harmonic oscillator
W 10/12    5.3         sho in two dimensions            
F 10/14    5.4      7  damped oscillators
M 10/17    5.5         driven damped oscillators        
W 10/19    5.6         resonance
F 10/21    6.1-3    8  calculus of variations
M 10/24    7.1         Lagrange's equations
W 10/26    7.2         constrained systems
F 10/28    7.3      9  general systems
M 10/31    7.4         proof of Lagrange's equations
W 11/02    7.5         more examples
F 11/04    7.6     10  ignorable coordinates
M 11/07    7.7-8       conservation laws
W 11/09    7.10        forces of constraint  
F 11/11      ***  third midterm  ***   
M 11/14    8.1-2       central force problems  
W 11/16    8.3         equation of motion
F 11/18    8.4     11  reduce eom to one dimension
M 11/21    8.5         orbit equation
W 11/23       --- no class --
F 11/25       --- no class --
M 11/28    8.6         Keplerian orbits
W 11/30    8.7         unbounded orbits
F 12/02    8.8     12  orbit transfer
M 12/12        FINAL EXAM @ 8am