PHYS 60203 - Classical Mechanics

Lectures: MW 9:00 - 10:20AM @ SWR 313

Instructor: Dr. Yuri M. Strzhemechny

Office: SWR 373

Phone: 817-257-5793

Web: http://personal.tcu.edu/~ystrzhemechn/

Office Hours: MW 8:00-8:50 AM, F 4:00 - 6:00 PM & by appointment

Recommended textbook: “Classical Mechanics”, 3rd Edition, by Herbert Goldstein, Charles P. Poole, Jr., and John L. Safko (ISBN: 0-201-65702-3), Publisher: Benjamin Cummings

Lecture notes and assignments will be distributed via the Internet (including eCollege).

Course Description: This is a one-semester graduate-level physics course covering such aspects of classical mechanics as Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms, central force problem, rigid body motion, small oscillations, deterministic chaos, special theory of relativity, etc. We will cover most of the textbook chapters plus some extra material that will be distributed in class.

Grading: The course grades will be determined as follows:

A: 100 – 90.1 pts., B: 90 – 80.1 pts., C: 80 – 70.1 pts., D: 70 – 55.1 pts., F: 55 and below.

Homework problems: 10 %

Homework-based quizzes: 10 %

Test 1: 25 %

Test 2: 25 %

Final Exam: 30 %

One-problem quizzes (very similar to the homework problems) will be given during the semester and will include homework material from previous weeks. Final exam will be cumulative, but the emphasis will be given to the chapters not covered by the two tests. Both tests and the final will contain conceptual questions and problems. Make-up tests will be provided to students having an Official University Absence. Students with valid reasons for missed tests (e.g. doctor's note) will have to contact me regarding make-up tests as early as possible.

Homework: It is crucial for you to learn how to apply conceptual knowledge for problem solving. The textbook provides solid guidelines for you to acquire this skill. You are strongly encouraged to go through the solutions of all the relevant sample problems. In addition, for each chapter, I will supply a number of problems for your homework. It is in your best interest to solve those problems in a timely manner for several reasons. First, it will provide additional training in self-education. Second, homework problems will be very similar (sometimes identical) to those given in the quizzes. Third, I will be grading select homework problems, in addition to the quizzes (please, see above). Fourth, homework problems will be related to those offered in the tests and in the final. The homework problems for each chapter will be assigned during the lectures. If you are having difficulty solving the homework problems you may want to contact me during my office hours. It is in your best interest not to copy the homework from your peers, although a certain degree of creative cooperation is OK.

You will have an option of getting up to 10% of additional credit for an extracurricular research. Such assignments will be given on request from a pool of topics on a ‘lottery’ basis.

Class calendar: We will use as a guideline the schedule given below:

Work week	Lectures (Chapters)
01/23-01/27	1, 2 (Lagrangian formalism)
01/30-02/03	8-10 (Hamiltonian formalism)
02/06-02/10	8-10 (Hamiltonian formalism)
02/13-02/17	8-10 (Hamiltonian formalism), Review
02/20-02/24	3 (Central force problem) / Test 1 (Ch. 1, 2, 8-10)
02/27-03/03	3 (Central force problem)
03/03-03/10	4, 5 (Rigid body motion)
03/13-03/17	Spring break
03/20-03/24	4, 5 (Rigid body motion)
03/27-03/31	6 (Small oscillations), Review
04/03-04/07	11 (Deterministic chaos) / Test 2 (Ch. 3-6)
04/10-04/14	11 (Deterministic chaos)
04/17-04/21	12 (Perturbation theory)
04/24-04/28	7 (Special theory of relativity)
05/01-05/05	7 (Special theory of relativity), Review
05/08-05/012	Final Exam

Academic Misconduct: I would like to remind you about policies and procedures regarding your rights as well as responsibilities that are published in the TCU Student Handbook. You may have a paper copy but it is also available on line at

http://www.studentaffairs.tcu.edu/handbook/handbook.htm. Specifically I would like you to review Section 3.4 regarding Academic misconduct, i.e. cheating, plagiarism etc.

Disabilities statement: Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities. If you require accommodations for a disability, please contact the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services, located in Sadler Hall 11. Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at 817-257-7486.

Adequate time must be allowed to arrange accommodations and accommodations are not retroactive; therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the academic term for which they are seeking accommodations. Each eligible student is responsible for presenting relevant, verifiable, professional documentation and/or assessment reports to the Coordinator. Guidelines for documentation may be found at http://www.acs.tcu.edu/DISABILITY.HTM. Students with emergency medical information or needing special arrangements in case a building must be evacuated should discuss this information with their instructor/professor as soon as possible.