lmat1261  2020-2021  Louvain-la-Neuve

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information below is subject to change, in particular that concerning the teaching mode (presential, distance or in a comodal or hybrid format).
5 credits
22.5 h + 30.0 h
Q1
Teacher(s)
Hagendorf Christian;
Language
French
Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Main themes
Content
The aim of LMAT1261 is to present an overview of the concepts of analytical mechanics.
The course's topics play an important role in other disciplines of the bachelors in physics and mathematics. Their presentation is adapted to the students of both these bachelors.
The course treats the following topics:
  1. Lagrangian mechanics
    • constrained systems, generalised coordinates;
    • d’Alembert principle, the Euler-Lagrange equations;
    • Hamilton's principle, elements of the calculus of variations;
    • symmetries and conservation laws.
       
  2. Hamiltonian mechanics
    • the Legendre transformation;
    • canonical equations of motion;
    • Poisson brackets;
    • canonical transformations.
       
  3. Hamilton-Jacobi theory
    • the Hamilton-Jacobi equation;
    • separation of variables;
    • action-angle variables;
    • towards quantum mechanics.
Evaluation methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

The student is evaluated through a written exam and a continuous assessment during the semester. The result of the continuous assessment will be used for each session and cannot be represented.
The evaluation methods may be adapted and modified according to the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Online resources
The course's Moodle website provides lecture notes, exercise sheets, a detailed syllabus and an ample bibliography.
Bibliography
  • Arnold, Mathematical methods of classical mechanics. Springer 1997

    Ouvrage à recommander aux étudiants avec une préférence pour la rigueur mathématique. Il est très détaillé et dépasse largement le cadre du cours.
     
  • Fomin, Calculus of variations. Dover Publications 2000.

    Ouvrage classique sur le calcul variationnel et ses applications à la mécanique classique, contient de nombreux exemples et exercices.
     
  • Landau, Lifshits, Cours de physique théorique. Tome 1 : Mécanique. Edition Mir 1994.

    Ceci est une référence standard pour physiciens. Il couvre tous les sujets des cours LMAT1161 et LMAT1261 (et bien plus), contient des exercices et leurs solutions.
     
  • Morin, Introduction to Classical Mechanics: With Problems and Solutions. Cambridge University Press 2008.

    Ouvrage récent très pédagogique, contient beaucoup d'exercices et leurs solutions.
     
  • Nolting, Theoretical Physics 2: Analytical mechanics.Springer-Verlag 2016.

    Ouvrage très pédagogique, contient beaucoup d'exercices et leurs solutions.
     
  • Goldstein, Classical mechanics. Addison-Wesley 2007.

    Référence classique pour physiciens avec de nombreux exemples, applications et exercices (sans solutions).
Teaching materials
  • matériel sur moodle
Faculty or entity
SC


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Additionnal module in Mathematics

Bachelor in Physics

Bachelor in Mathematics

Minor in Mathematics