Physics 6220/7220 Classical
Mechanics Fall
2002
Class Hours: MWF
11:00 - 11:50 AM
Classroom: MH4009
Text: Classical Mechanics, 3rd
Edition, Goldstein, Poole, and Safko
Recommended References: Marion and Thornton, Classical
Dynamics of Particles and Systems
Fowles/Cassiday, Analytical Mechanics
Landau and
Lifshitz, Mechanics
Instructor: Professor
Jacques G. Amar Grading:
Office: MH5006
Homework 30%
Office hours: MWF
3:00 - 5:00 First
Exam 20%
Office phone: 530-2259 Second
Exam 20%
E-mail: jamar@physics.utoledo.edu Final 30%
Classical Mechanics plays an important role in the history and concepts as well as the development of Science, ranging from applications in Astronomy to Continuum Mechanics, to the development of several branches of Mathematics, and the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics. It also has important applications in Engineering and Space Science. Other important aspects which will be discussed in this course include Scattering Theory, the Theory of vibrations, phonons and oscillations, and an introduction to modern Chaos Theory and Fractals.
The first third of this course
will be focused on the conceptual framework of classical mechanics which
underlies all of these subjects. The
remaining two-thirds of the course will be devoted to illustrations of these
concepts as well as an introduction to modern Chaos Theory and Fractals.
Since the best understanding comes
through solving problems, there will be a strong emphasis on problem-solving in
this course. The lectures will also
include a number of informative and interesting examples drawn from the topics
mentioned above.