| MWF 11-11:50 AM | OPL 107 | http://www.wfu.edu/~natalie/f00phy711/ |
| Instructor: Natalie Holzwarth | Phone:758-5510 | Office:300 OPL | e-mail:natalie@wfu.edu |
This course is a one semester survey of Classical Mechanics at the graduate level, using the textbook: Theoretical Mechanics of Particles and Continua by Alexander L. Fetter and John Dirk Walecka (McGraw-Hill, 1980) -- F&W.
It is likely that your grade for the course will depend upon the following factors:
|
Problem sets* |
40% |
|
20% |
|
|
Exams |
40% |
*
In general, there will a new assignment after each lecture, so that for optimal learning, it would be best to complete each assignment before the the next scheduled lecture. According to the honor system, all work submitted for grading purposes should represent the student's own best efforts.| Date | F&W Reading | Topic | Assignment | |
| Wed, 8/30/00 | Chap. 1 | Review of basic principles;Scattering theory | #1 | |
| Fri, 9/1/00 | Chap. 1 | Scattering theory continued | #2 | |
| Mon, 9/4/00 | Chap. 1 | Scattering theory continued | #3 | Wed, 9/6/00 | Chap. 2 | Accelerated coordinates | #4 |
| Fri, 9/8/00 | Chap. 2 | Accelerated coordinates | ||
| Mon, 9/11/00 | Chap. 3 | Calculus of variation | #5 | |
| Wed, 9/13/00 | Chap. 3 | Calculus of variation | #6 | |
| Fri, 9/15/00 | Chap. 3 | Lagrangian dynamics | ||
| Mon, 9/18/00 | Chap. 3 | Lagrangian dynamics | #7 | |
| Wed, 9/20/00 | Chap. 3 | Lagrangian dynamics | ||
| Fri, 9/22/00 | Chap. 6 | Hamiltonian formalism | #8 | |
| Mon, 9/25/00 | Chap. 6 | Hamiltonian formalism | #9 | |
| Wed, 9/27/00 | Chap. 6 | Hamiltonian-Jacobi Theory | #10 | |
| Fri, 9/29/00 | Chap. 6 | Hamiltonian-Jacobi Theory | Take | |
| Mon,10/2/00 | Chap. 4 | Small oscillations | Home | |
| Wed,10/4/00 | Chap. 4 | Normal modes | Exam | |
| Fri,10/6/00 | Chap. 4 | Normal modes | ||
| Mon,10/9/00 | Chap. 5 | Rigid body motion | #11 | |
| Wed,10/11/00 | Chap. 5 | Rigid body motion | #12 | |
| Fri,10/13/00 | Chap. 5 | Rigid body motion | #13 | |
| Mon,10/16/00 | Chap. 7 | Strings | ||
| Wed,10/18/00 | Chap. 7 | Strings | #14 | |
| Mon,10/23/00 | Chap. 7 | Strings | ||
| Wed,10/25/00 | Chap. 7 | Strings | #15 | |
| Fri,10/27/00 | Chap. 7 | Strings | ||
| Mon,10/30/00 | Chap. 8 | Membranes | #16 | |
| Wed,11/1/00 | Chap. 8 | Membranes | #17 | |
| Fri,11/3/00 | Chap. 9 | Fluids | ||
| Mon,11/6/00 | Chap. 9 | Fluids | #18 | |
| Wed,11/8/00 | Chap. 9 | Fluids | ||
| Fri,11/10/00 | Chap. 9 | (no class) | ||
| Mon,11/13/00 | Chap. 9 | Fluids | ||
| Wed,11/15/00 | Chap. 9 | Fluids | ||
| Fri,11/17/00 | Chap. 9 | Fluids | #19 | |
| Mon,11/20/00 | Chap. 9 | Fluids | ||
| Mon,11/27/00 | Chap. 9 | Properties of "shock" waves | ||
| Wed,11/29/00 | Chap. 10 | Surface waves | #20 | |
| Fri,12/ 1/00 | Chap. 10 | Surface waves | ||
| Mon,12/ 4/00 | Chap. 10 | Surface waves | ||
| Wed,12/ 6/00 | Chap. 10 | Surface waves | ||
| Fri,12/ 8/00 | Chap. 10 | Surface waves |