Theoretical Physics 1: Classical Mechanics

Wolfgang Nolting Theoretical Physics 1 Classical Mechanics Theoretical Physics 1 Wolfgang Nolting Theoretical Physics 1 Classical Mechanics 123 Wolfgang Nolting Inst. Physik Humboldt-UniversitRat zu Berlin Berlin, Germany ISBN 978-3-319-40107-2 DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-40108-9 ISBN 978-3-319-40108-9 (eBook) Library of Congress Control Number: 2016943655 © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland General Preface The seven volumes of the series Basic Course: Theoretical Physics are thought to be textbook material for the study of university-level physics. They are aimed to impart, in a compact form, the most important skills of theoretical physics which can be used as basis for handling more sophisticated topics and problems in the advanced study of physics as well as in the subsequent physics research. The conceptual design of the presentation is organized in such a way that Classical Mechanics (volume 1) Analytical Mechanics (volume 2) Electrodynamics (volume 3) Special Theory of Relativity (volume 4) Thermodynamics (volume 5) are considered as the theory part of an integrated course of experimental and theoretical physics as is being offered at many universities starting from the first semester. Therefore, the presentation is consciously chosen to be very elaborate and self-contained, sometimes surely at the cost of certain elegance, so that the course is suitable even for self-study, at first without any need of secondary literature. At any stage, no material is used which has not been dealt with earlier in the text. This holds in particular for the mathematical tools, which have been comprehensively developed starting from the school level, of course more or less in the form of recipes, such that right from the beginning of the study, one can solve problems in theoretical physics. The mathematical insertions are always then plugged in when they become indispensable to proceed further in the program of theoretical physics. It goes w