The text covers the entire domain of basic classical mechanics and relativity theory (special and general) and has been revised mainly for the purpose of adding exercises without worked solutions that were missing in the first edition. To retain the format of a readable, yet advanced introductory text that can serve as the companion text for a course in mechanics, the more than 100 new exercises on diverse topics are of moderate range; answers are given and occasionally hints are provided. As before, the text aims to cover the entire spectrum of theoretical mechanics from Newton to Einstein. The reader can observe how in the course of time, deeper and deeper insights were achieved with the development of the basic equations of Newton to those of Euler and Lagrange, and to the geodesic equations of space-time and Einstein’s relativity. To include diverse problems, a small section on this topic has been added.
Contents:
- Preface to Second Edition
- Preface to First Edition
- Introduction
- Recapitulation of Newtonian Mechanics
- The Lagrange Formalism
- The Canonical or Hamilton Formalism
- Symmetries and Transformations
- Looking Beyond Classical Mechanics
- Two-Body Central Forces
- Rigid Body Dynamics
- Small Oscillations and Stability
- Motivation of the Theory of Relativity
- A Simple Look at Phenomenological Consequences
- Aspects of Special Relativity
- Equation of Motion of a Particle in a Gravitational Field
- Tensor Calculus for Riemann Spaces
- Einstein’s Equation of the Gravitational Field
- The Schwarzschild Solution
- Appendix A: Schwarzschild Orbit Solution
- Appendix B: Reissner–Nordstrom Metric
- Bibliography
- Index
Readership: Undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in mechanics and relativity.
Review of the First Edition:From the very beginning the author makes sure that we do not forget that many branches of physics have roots in classical mechanics, and in many cases some chapters would make excellent introductions to tools used in areas such as quantum mechanics, particle physics or gravitation. – Contemporary Physics
Key Features:
- Compared with other established texts on the topic this book provides more detailed explanations and more calculations
- Many examples with detailed calculations are incorporated in the text, and chapters are supplemented at the end with exercises of appropriate but moderate difficulty, and with answers and occasionally with hints
