Exploring Classical Mechanics: Introductory Texts and Recommended Resources

[YAHA]

What is the typical material covered in such classes? Is there a common textbook used by most colleges that I could look through? Can someone suggest a good book from Dover publications that I can pickup cheaply to serve the same purpose?

Much appreciated.

 

[Visceral]

I have taken CM 1. The topics covered in my class were:

-Review of mathematics: cartesian, cylindrical, spherical coordinate systems, derivatives and integration of vectors, calc 3 review, ODE review, and some linear algebra(coordinate transformations)

-Review of Newtonian Mechanics

-Oscillations

-Non-linear oscillations

-Gravity

-Calculus of Variations

-Lagrangian Mechanics and intro to Hamiltonian Mechanics



We used "Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems" by Marion/Thornton. The book is OK but there are better ones out there like "Classical Mechanics" by Taylor(in my opinion). Marion is a little more mature of a book I think, but Taylor explains more physics and math, so if you are lacking a little bit in the math department(like I was when I took this course) I would strongly recommend picking up Taylor as a supplement. Its like 70$ on amazon.


As far as CM 2, I think my course is going to cover:

-Central force motion

-Waves

-Rigid Body Dynamics

-Special relativity, slightly more advanced than in a modern physics course

-More Hamiltonian and Lagrangian stuff.

I think.

There is a book called "Classical Dynamics" by dover that is like 10$. I don't know if its any good, but its probably worth the small price.

 

[capandbells]

My classical mechanics courses (I and II) used Analytical Mechanics by Fowles and Cassiday. We covered:
(I)
Newtonian Mechanics
Harmonic Oscillators
3D motion
Non-inertial reference frames
General central forces and gravity
(II)
Systems of particles
Rigid bodies in planar motion
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics
Rotation of rigid bodies
Oscillating systems

 

[physics girl phd]

http://store.doverpublications.com/by-subject-science-and-mathematics-physics-classical-mechanics.html" looks best based on table of contents; and it's cover looks familiar too, meaning I've seen it around on some desks.

 

[G01]

I'm personally a fan of Taylor's book as well.

One caveat however: His section on relativity uses archaic notation (x_4 is the time component, etc.). I don't like this.

 

[YAHA]

Thanks guys. Is the Taylor's book called "Space Time Physics"?

 

[capandbells]

The Taylor mechanics book is titled "Classical Mechanics." You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/189138922X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Lavabug]

I attend uni in Spain and my two sophmore classical mechanics courses are:
1. Lagrangian mechanics (point particles), waves, fluid statics & dynamics, special relativity.
2. Calculus of variations, Lagrangian dynamics/rigid body dynamics, small oscillations, Hamilton-Jacobi theory.

We very much follow Goldstein & Landau's texts to the letter (much to everyone's despair). But I've found some comfort in a book called "intro to classical mechanics" by David Morin (Cambridge press I think).

 

[brocks]

http://store.doverpublications.com/by-subject-science-and-mathematics-physics-classical-mechanics.html" looks best based on table of contents; and it's cover looks familiar too, meaning I've seen it around on some desks.

However, the blurb for it says it is graduate level, and the OP seemed to be asking about introductory texts.

 

[YAHA]

However, the blurb for it says it is graduate level, and the OP seemed to be asking about introductory texts.

Yes, junior/senior level of undergrad :) However more advanced books are welcome also. That is as long as its possible to get through them at this level.