| MWF 11-11:50 AM | OPL 107 | http://www.wfu.edu/~natalie/f08phy711/ |
| Instructor: Natalie Holzwarth | Phone:758-5510 | Office:300 OPL | e-mail:natalie@wfu.edu |
This course is a one semester survey of Classical Mechanics and Mathematical Methods at the graduate level, using the textbook: Theoretical Mechanics of Particles and Continua by Alexander L. Fetter and John Dirk Walecka (McGraw-Hill, 1980) (now published by Dover ) -- 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. Students should be confident that there is a contingency plan in place for continuing this class in the unlikely event of a major emergency. This plan includes the distribution of course materials by the web or by mail and the appropriate rescheduling of exams.| Date | F&W Reading | Topic | Assignment |
| Wed, 8/27/08 | Chap. 1 | Review of basic principles;Scattering theory | #1 |
| Fri, 8/29/08 | Chap. 1 | Scattering theory continued | #2 |
| Mon, 9/01/08 | Chap. 1 | Scattering theory continued | #3 | Wed, 9/03/08 | Chap. 2 & 3 | Accelerated coordinates; Calculus of variation | #4 |
| Fri, 9/05/08 | Chap. 3 | Calculus of variation | #5 |
| Mon, 9/08/08 | Chap. 3 | Calculus of variation | #6 |
| Wed, 9/10/08 | Chap. 3 | Lagrange's equations | #7 |
| Fri, 9/12/08 | Chap. 3 | Lagrange's equations | #8 |
| Mon, 9/15/08 | Chap. 3 | Lagrangian mechanics | #9 |
| Mon, 9/17/08 | Chap. 6 | Hamiltonian formalism | #10 |
| Fri, 9/19/08 | Chap. 6 | Hamiltonian formalism | #11 |
| Mon, 9/22/08 | Chap. 6 | Hamiltonian-Jacobi Theory | #12 |
| Wed, 9/24/08 | Chap. 4 | Small Oscillations | Take-home exam |
| Fri, 9/26/08 | Chap. 4 | Small Oscillations | Take-home exam |
| Mon, 9/30/08 | Chap. 5 | Rigid Bodies | Take-home exam |
| Wed, 10/01/08 | Chap. 5 | Rigid Bodies | |
| Fri, 10/03/08 | Chap. 5 | Euler Angles | #13 |
| Mon, 10/06/08 | Chap. 7 | Continuum mechanics and mathematical methods | #14 |
| Wed, 10/08/08 | Chap. 7 | Continuum mechanics and mathematical methods | #15 |
| Fri, 10/10/08 | Chap. 7 | Continuum mechanics and mathematical methods | #16 |
| Mon, 10/13/08 | Chap. 7 | Continuum mechanics and mathematical methods | #17 |
| Wed, 10/15/08 | Chap. 8 | Continuum mechanics in two dimensions | |
| Fri, 10/17/08 | No class | Fall Break | |
| Mon, 10/20/08 | Chap. 9 | Physics of fluids | #18 |
| Wed, 10/22/08 | Chap. 9 | Physics of fluids | #19 |
| Fri, 10/24/08 | Chap. 9 | Physics of fluids | #20 |
| Mon, 10/27/08 | Chap. 9 | Physics of fluids | #21 |
| Wed, 10/29/08 | Chap. 9 & 10 | Physics of fluids | #22 |
| Fri, 10/31/08 | Chap. 10 | Incompressible fluids | #23 |
| Mon, 11/03/08 | Chap. 10 | Solitary Waves | #24 |
| Wed, 11/05/08 | Chap. 10 | Solitary Waves | |
| Fri, 11/07/08 | Chap. 10 | Solitary Waves | Take-home exam |
| Mon, 11/10/08 | Chap. 10 & 12 | Surface tension, viscosity | Take-home exam |
| Wed, 11/12/08 | Chap. 12 | Stokes Law | Take-home exam |
| Fri, 11/14/08 | Chap. 12 | Stokes Law | |
| Mon, 11/17/08 | Chap. 12 | Viscous effects on sound waves | #25 |
| Wed, 11/19/08 | Chap. 12 & 11 | Sound waves and thermoconduction | |
| Fri, 11/21/08 | Chap. 11 | Diffusion equation | #26 |
| Wed, 11/26/08 | No class | Thanksgiving Holiday | |
| Fri, 11/28/08 | No class | Thanksgiving Holiday | |
| Mon, 12/01/08 | Chap. 13 | Elastic waves | #27 |
| Wed, 12/03/08 | Presentations | ||
| Fri, 12/05/08 | Presentations |