The hamiltonian-formalism tag has no wiki summary.
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1answer
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Sympletic structure of General Relativity
Inspired by physics.SE: http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/15571/does-the-dimensionality-of-phase-space-go-up-as-the-universe-expands/15613
It made me wonder about symplectic structures in ...
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6answers
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What is the symmetry which is responsible for conservation of mass?
According to Noether's theorem, all conservation laws originate from invariance of a system to shifts in a certain space. For example conservation of energy stems from invariance to time translation.
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5answers
1k views
Why not using Lagrangian, instead of Hamiltonian, in non relativistic QM?
When we studied classical mechanics on the undergraduate level, on the level of Taylor, we covered Hamiltonian as well as Lagrangian mechanics.
Now when we studied QM, on the level of Griffiths, we ...
9
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2answers
258 views
Hamiltonian or not?
Is there a way to know if a system described by a known equation of motion admits a Hamiltonian function? Take for example
$$ \dot \vartheta_i = \omega_i + J\sum_j \sin(\vartheta_j-\vartheta_i)$$
...
8
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4answers
231 views
What makes an equation an 'equation of motion'?
Every now and then, I find myself reading papers/text talking about how this equation is a constraint but that equation is an equation of motion which satisfies this constraint.
For example, in the ...
8
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3answers
68 views
Constructing a Hamiltonian (as a polynomial of $q_i$ and $p_i$) from its spectrum
For a countable sequence of positive numbers $S=\{\lambda_i\}_{i\in N}$ is there a construction producing a Hamiltonian with spectrum $S$ (or at least having the same eigenvalues for $i\leq s$ for ...
8
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2answers
619 views
Hamiltonian is conserved, but is not the total mechanical energy
I wondering about the interpretation for the energy difference between the Hamiltonian and the total mechanical energy for systems where the Hamiltonian is conserved, but it is not equal to the total ...
8
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2answers
299 views
Dirac equation as canonical quantization?
First of all, I'm not a physicist, I'm mathematics phd student, but I have one elementary physical question and was not able to find answer in standard textbooks.
Motivation is quite simple: let me ...
7
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3answers
2k views
When is the Hamiltonian of a system not equal to its total energy?
I thought the Hamiltonian was always equal to the total energy of a system but have read that this isn't always true. Is there an example of this and does the Hamiltonian have a physical ...
7
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2answers
93 views
Group of symmetries of Lagrange's equations
Consider the following statements, for a classical system whose configuration space has dimension $d$:
Lagrange equations admit a smaller group of "symmetries" (coordinate change under which ...
7
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4answers
348 views
Hamiltonian and the space-time structure
I'm reading Arnold's "Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics" but I failed to find rigorous development for the allowed forms of Hamiltonian.
Space-time structure dictates the form of ...
7
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5answers
274 views
Why don't we use the concept of force in quantum mechanics?
I'm a quarter of the way towards finishing a basic quantum mechanics course, and I see no mention of force, after having done the 1-D Schrodinger equation for a free particle, particle in an ...
7
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1answer
249 views
Relation between Dirac's generalized Hamiltonian dynamics method and path integral method to deal with constraints
What is the relation between path integral methods for dealing with constraints (constrained Hamiltonian dynamics involving non-singular Lagrangian) and Dirac's method of dealing with such systems ...
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9answers
2k views
Book about classical mechanics
I am looking for a book about "advanced" classical mechanics. By advanced I mean a book considering directly Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulation, and also providing a firm basis in the geometrical ...
6
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5answers
547 views
What does symplecticity imply?
Symplectic systems are a common object of studies in classical physics and nonlinearity sciences.
At first I assumed it was just another way of saying Hamiltonian, but I also heard it in the context ...
6
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1answer
170 views
Operator Ordering Ambiguities
I have been told that $$[\hat x^2,\hat p^2]=2i\hbar (\hat x\hat p+\hat p\hat x)$$ illustrates operator ordering ambiguity.
What does that mean?
I tried googling but to no avail.
6
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2answers
147 views
From Lagrangian to Hamiltonian in Fermionic Model
While going from a given Lagrangian to Hamiltonian for a fermionic field, we use the following formula. $$ H = \Sigma_{i} \pi_i \dot{\phi_i} - L$$ where $\pi_i = \dfrac{\partial L}{\partial ...
6
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2answers
317 views
Analogue of Princeton Companion to Mathematics for Physics?
I would like to know if there are compendiums much like the Princeton Companion to Mathematics for physics (especially classical physics: fluid mechanics, elasticity theory, Hamiltonian formalism of ...
6
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2answers
291 views
How do we resolve operator ordering ambiguities when quantizing generic nonlinear second-class constraints?
Dirac came up with a general theory of constraints, including second-class constraints. To quantize such systems, he first computed the Dirac bracket classically, and only then "promoted" the ...
6
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1answer
297 views
About Turbulence modeling
There is a paper titled "Lagrangian/Hamiltonian formalism for description of Navier-Stokes fluids" in PRL. After reading the paper, the question arises how far can we investigate turbulence with this ...
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3answers
447 views
How does one quantize the phase-space semiclassically?
Often, when people give talks about semiclassical theories they are very shady about how quantization actually works.
Usually they start with talking about a partition of $\hbar$-cells then end up ...
5
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2answers
621 views
Hamilton-Jacobi Equation
In the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, we take the partial time derivative of the action. But the action comes from integrating the Lagrangian over time, so time seems to just be a dummy variable here and ...
5
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3answers
237 views
Poisson structure comes from hamiltonian?
I am interested in studying quantization, but it seems I am lacking the basics of classical mechanics. Any help would be appreciated.
I would first like to ask what is necessary to have a ...
5
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4answers
220 views
Non-Integrable systems
Integrable systems are systems which have $2n-1$ time-independent, functionally independent conserved quantities (n being the number of degrees of freedom), or n whose Poisson brackets with each other ...
5
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1answer
270 views
formal framework for talking about 'minimal couplings'
usually on physical theories one would have Lagrangians or Hamiltonians with multiple fields; say, a vector $A_{\mu}$ and a scalar $\phi$ and one would postulate ad hoc a coupling between the fields ...
5
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2answers
170 views
Weyl Ordering Rule
While studying Path Integrals in Quantum Mechanics I have found that [Srednicki: Eqn. no. 6.6] the quantum Hamiltonian $\hat{H}(\hat{P},\hat{Q})$ can be given in terms of the classical Hamiltonian ...
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3answers
569 views
Why is the symplectic manifold version of Hamiltonian mechanics used in Newtonian mechanics?
Books such as Mathematical methods of classical mechanics describe an approach to classical (Newtonian/Galilean) mechanics where Hamiltonian mechanics turn into a theory of symplectic forms on ...
4
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2answers
356 views
Energy operator
Does the Hamiltonian always translate to the energy of a system? What about in QM? So by the Schrodinger equation, is it true then that $i\hbar{\partial\over\partial t}|\psi\rangle=H|\psi\rangle$ ...
4
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2answers
194 views
The string Poisson bracket
Where does the factor $\frac{1}{T}$ ($T$ is the string tension) in this Poisson bracket come from?
$$ \{X^{\mu}(\tau,\sigma),\dot{X}^{\nu}(\tau,\sigma')\} ~=~ ...
4
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3answers
182 views
What are some mechanics examples with a globally non-generic symplecic structure?
In the framework of statistical mechanics, in books and lectures when the fundamentals are stated, i.e. phase space, Hamiltons equation, the density etc., phase space seems usually be assumed to be ...
4
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3answers
389 views
An example of non-Hamiltonian systems
I am preparing for the exam. And I need to know the answer to one question which I can't understand.
"Give an example of non-Hamiltonian systems: in case of infinite number of particles; for a finite ...
4
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2answers
259 views
Hamiltonian mechanics and special relativity?
Is there a relativistic version of Hamiltonian mechanics? If so, how is it formulated (what are the main equations and the form of Hamiltonian)? Is it a common framework, if not then why?
It would be ...
4
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3answers
348 views
Generalizing Heisenberg Uncertainty Priniciple
Writing the relationship between canonical momenta $\pi _i$ and canonical coordinates $x_i$
$$\pi _i =\text{ }\frac{\partial \mathcal{L}}{\partial \left(\frac{\partial x_i}{\partial t}\right)}$$
...
4
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2answers
639 views
To what extent is the “minimal substitution” or “minimal coupling” for the EM vector potential valid?
In all text books (and papers for that matter) about QFT and the classical limit of relativistic equations, one comes across the "minimal substitution" to introduce the magnetic potential into the ...
4
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1answer
106 views
Potential Energy tends to infinity on the N-Body Problem
I need help to solve this problem related with the N-Body problem, i dont understand quite well what I need to define or to express in order to solve it.
We assume a particular solution to the N-Body ...
4
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2answers
881 views
Lagrangian mechanics vs Hamiltonian mechanics
First of all, what are the differences between these two: Lagrangian mechanics and Hamiltonian mechanics?
And secondly, do I need to learn both in order to study quantum mechanics and quantum field ...
4
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1answer
428 views
Mathematica to help for an Hamiltonian problem
I have an Hamiltonian problem whose 2D phase space exhibit islands of stability (elliptic fixed points).
I can calculate the area of these islands in some cases, but for other cases I would like to ...
4
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1answer
62 views
Peculiar Hamiltonian Phase space
I was solving an exercise of classical mechanics :
Consider the following hamiltonian
$H(p,q,t) = \frac{p^2}{2m} + \lambda pq + \frac{1}{2}m\lambda^2\frac{q^6}{q^4+\alpha^4}$
Where ...
4
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2answers
89 views
What would happen if energy was conserved but phase space volume wasn't? (and vice-versa)
I'm trying to understand the relationship between the two conservation laws. As I understand, Liouville's result is a weaker condition: it relies merely on the particular form assumed by Hamilton's ...
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3answers
88 views
Other application of Liouville's theorem besides thermodynamics
Are there any other important practical and theoretical consequences of Liouville's theorem on the conservation of phase space volume besides the calculation of the microcanonical potential in ...
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2answers
110 views
Are Poisson brackets of second-class constraints independent of the canonical coordinates?
Say we have a constraint system with second-class constraints $\chi_N(q,p)=0$. To define Dirac brackets we need the Poisson brackets of these constraints: $C_{NM}=\{\chi_N(q,p),\chi_M(q,p)\}_P$ . Is ...
4
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1answer
31 views
Connections of iterative solvers for large systems of equation in Physics?
I am trying to find the domains in physics where solving large systems of equations is computationally expensive. The sparse systems are of my particular interest, where the input matrix A is in GBs ...
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0answers
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The consistency conditions of constrained Hamiltonian systems
I am studying the Hamiltonian description of a constrained system. There are some questions puzzled me for days, which I have been stuck on it. From the lagrangian, we can obtain the primary ...
3
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4answers
596 views
Lagrangian to Hamiltonian in Quantum Field Theory
While deriving Hamiltonian from Lagrangian density, we use the formula
$$\mathcal{H} ~=~ \pi \dot{\phi} - \mathcal{L}.$$
But since we are considering space and time as parameters, why the formula
...
3
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2answers
218 views
Quantum Mechanics Notation for BRA KET
I've been given this homework problem, but I do not understand its notation.
Please perform the following where the wavefunctions are the normalized eigenfunctions of the harmonic oscillator ...
3
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4answers
400 views
First class and second class constraints
Hello I am working on a project that involves the constraints. I checkout the paper of Dirac about the constraints as well as some other resources. But still confuse about the first class and second ...
3
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3answers
230 views
The number of independent variables in the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods in Classical Mechanics
It's told in Landau - Classical Mechanics, that in the Hamiltonian method, generalized coordinates $q_j$ and generalized momenta $p_j$ are independent variables of a mechanical system. Anyway, in the ...
3
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1answer
124 views
Phase space in quantum mechanics and Heisenberg uncertainty principle
In my book about quantum mechanics they give a derivation that for one particle an area of $h$ in $2D$ phase space contains exactly one quantum mechanical state.
In my book about statistical physics ...
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3answers
201 views
Writing $\dot{q}$ in terms of $p$ in the Hamiltonian formulation
In the Hamiltonian formulation, we make a Legendre transformation of the Lagrangian and it should be written in terms of the coordinates $q$ and momentum $p$. Can we always write $dq/dt$ in terms of ...
3
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3answers
266 views
What is the difference between manifest Lorentz invariance and canonical Lorentz invariance?
I often read that the Lorentz symmetry is manifest in the path integral formulation but is not in the canonical quantization - what does this really mean?
