Mechanics

ISBN-13: 9780412439407 / Angielski / Miękka / 1979 / 400 str.

W. Chester

Opis

When I began to write this book, I originally had in mind the needs of university students in their first year. May aim was to keep the mathematics simple. No advanced techniques are used and there are no complicated applications. The emphasis is on an understanding of the basic ideas and problems which require expertise but do not contribute to this understanding are not discussed. How ever, the presentation is more sophisticated than might be considered appropri ate for someone with no previous knowledge of the subject so that, although it is developed from the beginning, some previous acquaintance with the elements of the subject would be an advantage. In addition, some familiarity with element ary calculus is assumed but not with the elementary theory of differential equations, although knowledge of the latter would again be an advantage. It is my opinion that mechanics is best introduced through the motion of a particle, with rigid body problems left until the subject is more fully developed. However, some experienced mathematicians consider that no introduction is complete without a discussion of rigid body mechanics. Conventional accounts of the subject invariably include such a discussion, but with the problems restricted to two-dimensional ones in the books which claim to be elementary. The mechanics of rigid bodies is therefore included but there is no separate discussion of the theory in two dimensions."

Spis treści

1. Vectors.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 Definitions.- 1.3 The Rules of Vector Algebra.- 1.4 The Resolution of a Vector.- 1.5 The Products of Vectors.- 1.6 The Derivative of a Vector.- 1.7 The Integral of a Vector.- 1.8 Scalar and Vector Fields.- 1.9 Line Integrals.- 1.10 The Gradient Operator.- 1.11 Equipotentials and Field Lines.- Exercises.- 2. Kinematics.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Velocity and Acceleration.- 2.3 Constant Acceleration.- 2.4 Projectiles.- 2.5 Dimensions.- Exercises.- 3. Dynamics.- 3.1 Newton’s Laws.- 3.2 Units.- 3.3 Applications.- Exercises.- 4. Resisting Forces.- 4.1 Solid Friction.- 4.2 Motion through a Fluid.- Exercises.- 5. Impulse, Momentum, Work and Energy.- 5.1 Impulse and Momentum.- 5.2 Work and Energy.- 5.3 Potential Energy.- 5.4 Power.- Exercises.- 6. Oscillations.- 6.1 Simple Harmonic Oscillations.- 6.2 Damped Oscillations.- 6.3 Forced Oscillations.- 6.4 Coupled Oscillations.- 6.5 Non-Linear Oscillations.- Exercises.- 7. Central Forces.- 7.1 Basic Equations.- 7.2 Conservative Forces.- 7.3 Circular Orbits and Stability.- 7.4 Elliptic Harmonic Motion.- 7.5 The Inverse Square Law.- 7.6 Kepler’s Laws.- 7.7 The Effect of Resistance.- Exercises.- 8. Systems of Particles.- 8.1 Mass Centre.- 8.2 Equations of Motion.- 8.3 Collision Problems.- 8.4 Variable Mass Problems.- Exercises.- 9. Angular Vectors.- 9.1 Existence.- 9.2 Angular Velocity.- 9.3 Relative Angular Velocity.- 9.4 Rotating Axes.- 9.5 Axes on the Earth’s Surface.- Exercises.- 10. Moments.- 10.1 First Moment.- 10.2 Second Moment.- 10.3 Vector Moment.- 10.4 Parallel Vectors.- 10.5 Reduction of a System of Line Vectors.- 10.6 Work of a System of Line Vectors.- Exercises.- 11. Rigid Bodies.- 11.1 Equations of Motion.- 11.2 Impulse and Momentum.- 11.3 Work and Energy.- 11.4 Oscillations.- 11.5 Three-Dimensional Problems.- 11.6 Gyroscopic Problems.- Exercises.- 12. Virtual Work and Lagrange’s Equations.- 12.1 Virtual Work.- 12.2 Generalised Coordinates.- 12.3 Lagrange’s Equations.- 12.4 The Lagrangian and Hamiltonian.- Exercises.- 13. Non-Linear Problems.- 13.1 Conservative Forces.- 13.2 Autonomous Forces.- 13.3 The Method of Averaging.- 13.4 Forced Non-Linear Oscillations.- Exercises.