PH 201 Classical Mechanics, August 2024

   The limits of my language define the limits of my world. – Ludwig Wittgenstein

Venue: Physics Auditorium, Department of Physics

Time: Tuesdays & Thursdays 1130-1300

Required textbooks:

  1.  (RJ) Classical Mechanics, Rana and Joag, McGraw Hill
  2.  (LL) Mechanics, Landau and Lifshitz, Elsevier, 3e

Required and Optional readings will be assigned before the class. You should finish reading the “required reading” before the class. If you have any specific questions, post them on the MS Teams page the night before the class.

MS Teams Link (Requires IISc login)

Class IDClass date (DDMMYY)TopicReading Other resources
101-08-24Review of Newtonian Mechanics; Constraints; Lagrange's Eqn of 1st Kind; Principle of Virtual Work; Required: RJ: I.5, I.6, 1.0-1.7

Optional: RJ I.1-I.4
208-08-24Degrees of Freedom; Generalized coordinates; Lagrangian; Lagrange's Equation; Hamilton's least action principle; Derivation of EL equationRequired: RJ: 2.1-2.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4

Optional: 2.0, 6.3
313-08-24Generalized Dynamic Variables; Symmetry and Conservation Laws; Derivation of Newton's laws.Required: RJ: 2.9-2.15

Supplementary: LL Ch II, Section 6-9
420-08-24Lagrangian in various coordinate systems; Properties of T and E; Gyroscopic forces and generalized potential; Required: RJ: 2.5-2.8, 2.16

522-08-24Solution of EoM in 1D; Mechanical Similarity; Virial Theorem; 2-body Central force problem;Required: RJ: 4.1-4.2, 4.6.1, 4.7

Required: LL: Ch II Section 10


627-08-24Equation of orbits; Condition for closure of orbits; Kepler's problem; Deriving Newton's law of gravitation from Kepler's laws; TidesRequired: RJ: 4.3-4.5, 4.6.1, 4.7, 4.14
729-08-24Scattering in central force fields; Scattering Cross Section; Impact parameter; Small oscillation introduction; Fourier transform;Required: RJ 4.15

LL: Chapter IV Section 17-20
V. Balakrishnan's lectures on Fourier Transform :
Fourier Transform I

Fourier Transform II

Fourier Transform III
803-09-24Forced oscillation; Resonance; Energy spectral density; Normal modes; Characteristic Equation; Spring-Mass systemsRequired: LL Ch V Section 21-23
905-09-24Damped Oscillation; Motion in a rapidly oscillating field; Introduction to Rigid Body Dynamics;Required: LL Ch V 25-26, 30

1010-09-24
1112-09-24
1217-09-24
1319-09-24Mid-term exam
1424-09-24
1526-09-24
1601-10-24
1703-10-24
1808-10-24
1915-10-24
2017-10-24
2122-10-24
2224-10-24
2329-10-24
2405-11-24
2507-11-24
2612-11-24
2714-11-24