Lecture Notes for PHYS2010 Mechanics

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Proposed Lecture Schedule for 2013 Updated 22nd May 2013

Actual Lectures - 2013

Lecture 1 Overview
Lecture 2 Integration of Equations of Motion
Lecture 3 Introduction to Lagrangian Mechanics
Lecture 4 Velocity Phase Space + Simple Harmonic Oscillator
Lecture 5 Simple Harmonic Oscillator
Lecture 6 Tutorial
Lecture 7 Damped Harmonic Oscillator
Lecture 8 Forced Damped Harmonic Oscillator & Resonance
Lecture 9 Conservative Forces & Introduction to Central Forces
Lecture 10 Tutorial 2
Lecture 12 Central Forces - Inverse Square Force
Lecture 13 Inverse Square force + stability + conserved quantities
Lecture 14 Two body & Three body problems
Lecture 15 Rigid body & rotational dynamics
Lecture 16 Moments of inertia & Inertia tensor
Lecture 17 Inertia tensor, Principal axes & Euler's equations
Lecture 18 Tutorial 3
Lecture 19 Lagrangian Mechanics
Lecture 20 Noether's Theorem + Hamiltonian Mechanics

Lecture Notes 2011 - 2013 - Lecturer Paul Curmi

Lecture 1 Overview
Lecture 2 Integration of Equations of Motion
Lecture 3 Introduction to Lagrangian Mechanics
Lecture 4 Velocity Phase Space & Simple Harmonic Oscillator
Lecture 5 Simple Harmonic Oscillator + Damped HO
Lecture 7 - Damped Harmonic Oscillator and Forced DHO
Lecture 8 - Resonance, Conservative Forces and 2D Isotropic HO
Lecture 9 Central Forces
Lecture 10 Inverse Square Fields
Lecture 11 - Stability of near circular orbits, conserved quantities and two-body problem
Lecture 12 The Two and Three Body Problem New May 2013
Lecture 14 - Rigid body motion
Lecture 15 - Moments of Inertia & Inertia Tensor
Lecture 16 - Inertia Tensor, Principle axes & Euler's Equations
Lecture 17 - Lagrangian Mechanics
Lecture 19 - Noether's theorem, symmetry, conservation & the Hamiltonian
Lecture 20 - Oscillating Systems and Coupled Oscillators
Lecture 21 - Normal Mode Analysis
Lecture 23 - Vibrations on a loaded string

Additional Material

Solution to Tutorial 2, Problem 6
Table of Radii of Gyration
Tacoma Narrows Bridge disaster: not a case of resonance driven by oscillating force, but "negative damping" resulting from the addition of a constant, velocity dependent force (ultimately due to the wind) Billah 1991 Green 2006

Assignments 2013

Assignment 1 Due: Wednesday 15th May 2013
Assignment 2 Due: Wednesday 5th June 2013

Assignments 2012

Assignment 1 Due: Monday 30th April 2012
Assignment 2 Due: Wednesday 30th May 2012

Assignments 2011 - Lecturer Paul Curmi

Assignment 1 Due: Wednesday 11th May 2011
Assignment 2 Due: Thursday 2 June before 5pm, Hand it to: Sue Hagon or Patricia Furst, Physics School Office Rm G62 OMB

Tutorial Problems 2011 - lecturer Paul Curmi

Tutorial Sheet 1 - Integration of Equations of Motion
Tutorial Sheet 2 - Harmonic Oscillators
Tutorial Sheet 3 - Central Forces
Tutorial Sheet 4 - Rigid Body Motion, Inertia Tensor
Tutorial Sheet 5 - Lagrangian Mechanics
Tutorial Sheet 6 - Noether's Theorem
Tutorial Sheet 7 - Coupled Oscillators

Past Midsession Tests

1997

1998

2005

2006

2008

2009

2011 (S1)

2012 (S1)

2013 (S1)

Lecture Notes 2010 - Lecturer Oleg Sushkov

1. Integration of one-dimensional motion
2. Simple Harmonic Motion, Driven Harmonic Motion, Damped Harmonic Motion.
3. Motion in central field
4. Kepler's problem
5. Precession of Mercury orbit due to general relativity, least action principle, Lagrangian, Lagrange Eqs.
6. Lagrangian, Lagrange Eqs.
7. Coupled harmonic oscillators, Secular equation, Normal coordinates, Initial conditions.
8. Rotation of a solid body. Moment of inertia

Lecture Notes 2007 - Lecturer Oleg Sushkov

1. Motion in Central Field and tutorial problems for this topic.
2. Part II Kepler's problem.
3. Part III Precession of Mercury orbit due to general relativity, least action principle, Lagrangian, Lagrange Eqs.
4. Part IV Lagrangian, Lagrange Eqs.
5. Part V Coupled Harmonic Oscillators, Secular equation, Normal co-ordinates, Initial conditions.
6. Rotation of a solid body, Movement of Inertia
7. Angular momentum, Examples, Symmetric top

Older Lecture Notes

Formula Sheet 2011 - Lecturer Paul Curmi

Past Examinations

2005 Exam Paper
2006 Exam Paper
2007 Exam Paper

June/July 2002

Past tutorials

2010

Tutorial 1 (including solutions)
Tutorial 2      
Tutorial 2 Solutions
Tutorial 3
Tutorial 3 Solutions
Tutorial 4
Tutorial 4 Solutions
Tutorial 5
Tutorial 5 Solutions
Tutorial 6
Tutorial 6 Solutions

 

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