Welcome to Phys 105, 2011!
- Alice will be in her office, ISB 262, on Monday, 12/5, from 12 - 1 pm in case there are any last minute questions about the final!
- Discussion Wednesday 11/30: Alice incorrectly explained one of the normal modes for problem 5 as having just mass m2 oscillating while m1 and m3 stay still. It should be all three masses moving: m2 oscillates in one direction while m1 and m3 both move in the opposite direction (you can see this from the T-vector you find for that particular mode). Apologies, and thanks to students for pointing it out!
Hope you had a nice thanksgiving break. Bunch of things to note in the exam section. Now solutions included.
Review for the final exam: Phys Sciences 110, 3:10-5:00pm, this Friday (Dec. 2).
JW got a bonus on correcting a typo in perturbation appendix. Any student who finds corrections to be made in any of the documents posted on line will get a bonus.
There is a question with a bounty. Check the forum!
Have a happy thanksgiving! Homework 8 is due Dec. 1, by vote.
The final exam will be on Tuesday, December 6, 8am–11am.
What is this course about?
Classical mechanics is a beautifully ripe subject, albeit with hidden surprises. In this course, we will get a complete overview of classical mechanics. We will learn Newtonian and Lagrangian views of classical mechanics. We will cover some basic topics such as linear systems and the central force problem, and also not so basic topics such as non-linear dynamics (chaos), and many particle systems (field theory). If time allows (very unlikely), we may cover the special theory of relativity as well.
Checking out last year’s course web site might be of some use. Last but not the least, remember that you are the one!