PHY523: Advanced Mechanics

Instructor

Edward Lipson (Room 305 Physics Building, x9107)

Office hours: by appointment

Textbook

Analytical Mechanics by G. R. Fowles and G. L. Cassiday, 7th ed., 2005

Location and Times

Room 105 Physics Building; TTh 9:30-10:50 a.m.

Course Description

This course, which is aimed towards preparing students for graduate school in Physics, is based on the later chapters (see third column in the table below) of the Fowles and Cassiday text. The first two lectures will review essentials from the earlier chapters of this book. Then the advanced material that is the subject of PHY523 will begin with the penultimate chapter on Lagrangian Mechanics and related methods, before turning back to the two preceding chapters on rotational motion. Lagrangian (and related) methods, which are fundamental and elegant, offer alternative ways to solve problems. In general, the course will emphasize problem solving, but ample time will be devoted to derivations and understanding of the essential physics. All, or nearly all, assigned problems will be solved in class, once graded homework is returned. There are useful appendices at the back of the book. Note that there are answers in the back for many of the odd-numbered problems.

Homework

Normally, homework will be assigned on the Tuesday, collected on the following Tuesday, and graded and returned on the Thursday. For your solutions, do not simply provide a stream of equations. Rather, you should start almost all problems with a clearly labeled diagram that defines the essential variables (and sometimes constants) in the problem. Then use words to explain the logic and flow, as you transition through your equations. Notice how solutions to example problems are presented in the textbook (as well as the main textual material), and use that style as a model (you can be somewhat more terse, though, since this is not for publication). For clarity, place a rectangular outline box around each of your answers. Some students find it helpful to start each solution with a paraphrased statement of the problem; this modest investment of time increases the chances that the problem will be understood properly and solved correctly. You should do your homework on your own. However, if you need occasional assistance from classmates or other persons, or from other resources besides the text and your class notes, you should make explicit acknowledgment of that at the end of each such problem. Some of the problems in this course will be rather challenging. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to get an early start on each problem set (e.g., the day the problem set is assigned). Do not wait till the evening before the due date to start the assignment.
 

Grading

The grading will be allocated as follows: 25% homework, 35% midterm exam, and 40% final exam. 

Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students who are in need of disability-related academic accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 804 University Avenue, Room 309, 315-443-4498. Students with authorized disability-related accommodations should provide a current Accommodation Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and review those accommodations with the instructor. Accommodations, such as exam administration, are not provided retroactively; therefore, planning for accommodations as early as possible is necessary.

No. 

Date

Chapter/Topic [#Lectures]

Problem Sets & Remarks

1

Sep 1 T 

Review [2]

2.18, 3.10, 4.21, 5.2, 7.11 (due T 9/8)

2

Sep 3 Th

3

Sep 8 T

10. Lagrangian Mechanics [5]

Ch. 10: #2, 4, 5, 10 (due T 9/15)

4

Sep 10 Th

5

Sep 15 T

6

Sep 17 Th

7

Sep 22 T

8

Sep 24 Th

 8. Mechanics of Rigid Bodies -- Planar Motion [7]

9

Sep 29 T

Ch. 8: #1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (due T 10/6)

10

Oct 1 Th

11

Oct 6 T

12

Oct 8 Th

13

Oct 13 T

14

Oct 15 Th

15

Oct 20 T

Midterm exam [1]

16

Oct 22 Th

17

Oct 27 T

18

Oct 29 Th

19

Nov 3 T

20

Nov 5 Th

21

Nov 10 T

22

Nov 12 Th

 no class

23

Nov 17 T

24

Nov 19 Th

11. Dynamics of Oscillating Systems [6]

25

Nov 24 T

Nov 26 Th

Thanksgiving Break -- no classes

26

Dec 1 T

27

Dec 3 Th

28

Dec 8 T

29

Dec 10 Th

Dec 16 Wed

Final Exam

2:45-4:45 pm; room 105 Physics