Linked Questions

In Classical Mechanics by Goldstein it says: $$ \sum \left\{ \left[ \frac{d}{dt} \left( \frac{\partial T}{\partial \dot q_j} \right) - \frac{\partial T}{\partial q_j} \right] - Q_j \right\} \delta ...

I'm not sure if it's relevant, but I'm talking about a situation where a particle is moving in an electro-magnetic field. As I understand, if we see the term $\nabla \cdot \vec{v}$ or $\nabla \times \...

I would like to continue discussion from my previous post on time dependence of lagrangian Time dependence of the Lagrangian of a free particle?. I have also read this old post Why does calculus of ...

Let us consider a particle in one spatial dimension $x$ and one temporal dimension $t$. Its Lagrangian $L$ is given by \begin{eqnarray*} L &=& T- V \\ &=& \frac{1}{2} m\dot{x}^2 - ...

This might be a very simple question. I read one previous post Can the kinetic energy be a function of the position vector? I know that in Cartesian coordinates, the kinetic energy $T=\frac{1}{2}mv^...

It is written in the Goldstein's Classical Mechanics text that $$\frac{\mathrm d}{\mathrm dt}\left(\frac{\partial {r_i}}{\partial {q_j}}\right) = \frac{\partial {\dot r_i}}{\partial {q_j}}=\sum_k \...

The typical first application of Lagrange's equation is showing that it implies Newton's law for a particle whose Lagrangian is $L=\frac{1}{2}mv^2-V(x)$. Plugging this Lagrangian into Lagrange's ...

In Lagrangian dynamics, when using the Lagrangian thus: $$ \frac{d}{dt}(\frac{\partial \mathcal{L} }{\partial \dot{q_j}})- \frac{\partial \mathcal{L} }{\partial q_j} = 0 $$ often we get terms such ...

Suppose I have a function $f = xy$. A partial derivative of $f$ with respect to $x$ implies holding $y$ constant: $$ \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} = y $$ Does this mean that in order to evaluate ...

I'm reading the section of Marion and Thornton devoted to basics on the Calculus of Variations, and came across this definition for the functional: $$J = \int f(y(x), y'(x);x) dx$$ implying that $f$ ...

Working on the Maxwell field as a gauge theory, at some point the following derivative comes up: $\frac{\partial(\partial_iA_0)}{\partial A_0}=0$ which must be, accordingly to the theory, zero. My ...

The Euler-Lagrange equations for a bob attached to a spring are $$ \frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}t}\frac{\partial L}{\partial v} = \frac{\partial L}{\partial x} $$ But $v$ is a function of $x$. Is it ...

Hi I am a mathematics student with an interest in Physics. In our Physics elective our prof. said if $\vec r$ denotes the position vector then the velocity vector $\vec v = \vec {\dot r} $ is ...

Hello I am new to Lagrange's dynamics and have some doubts regarding derivation of equation of motion given in a text : Deriving Equation of motion for a free body(no-external forces) ,in one ...

Suppose I have a lumpy hill. In a first experiment, the hill is frictionless and I let a ball slide down, starting from rest. I watch the path it takes (the time-independent trail it follows). ...