A First Course in Mechanics

by Mary Lunn

Overview

This textbook provides a simple introduction to mechanics for students coming to the subject for the first time. The text is based on courses given to first and second year undergraduates and has been written with this audience very much in mind. Prerequisites are only a basic familiarity with vectors, matrices, and elementary calculus. The author's aim is to provide an understanding of Newtonian mechanics using the tools of modern algebra. The first chapters of the book introduce the fundamentals of the motion of rigid bodies: Newton's laws, forces, linear and angular momentum, and the conservation of energy. In the later chapters the theory of Lagrangian mechanics is developed and extended to cover applications to impulsive forces. Throughout the theory is illustrated with many worked examples and numerous exercises (some with solutions) are provided.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198534334
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	05/09/1991
Series:	Oxford Science Publications Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	204
Product dimensions:	9.21(w) x 6.19(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

St Hugh's College, Oxford

Table of Contents

1. Newton's Laws2. Central Forces3. Energy4. Rotating Frames5. Many Particle Systems6. Rigid Bodies7. Soluble Problems in Rigid Body Motion8. Lagrangian Mechanics9. Impulsive Forces1. Newton's laws2. Central forces3. Energy4. Rotating frames5. Many-particle systems6. Rigid bodies: equations7. Soluble problems in rigid body motion8. Lagrangian mechanics9. Impulsive forcesAppendices 1, 2, 3Solutions to odd-numbered exercisesIndex