The Principle of Least Action

Name: The Principle of Least Action
Author: Alberto Rojo

History and Physics

Gebonden Engels 2018 9780521869027

Verwachte levertijd ongeveer 9 werkdagen

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Samenvatting

The principle of least action originates in the idea that, if nature has a purpose, it should follow a minimum or critical path. This simple principle, and its variants and generalizations, applies to optics, mechanics, electromagnetism, relativity, and quantum mechanics, and provides an essential guide to understanding the beauty of physics. This unique text provides an accessible introduction to the action principle across these various fields of physics, and examines its history and fundamental role in science. It includes - with varying levels of mathematical sophistication - explanations from historical sources, discussion of classic papers, and original worked examples. The result is a story that is understandable to those with a modest mathematical background, as well as to researchers and students in physics and the history of physics.

Specificaties

ISBN13:9780521869027

Taal:Engels

Bindwijze:gebonden

Aantal pagina's:266

Uitgever:Cambridge University Press

Verschijningsdatum:29-3-2018

Hoofdrubriek:Wetenschap en techniek

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Inhoudsopgave

1. Introduction; 2. Prehistory of variational principles; 3. An excursio to Newton's Principia; 4. The optical-mechanical analogy, part I; 5. D'Alembert, Lagrange, and the statics-dynamics analogy; 6. The optical mechanical analogy, part II: the Hamilton–Jacobi equation; 7. Relativity and least action; 8. The road to quantum mechanics; Appendix A. Newton's solid of least resistance using calculus; Appendix B. Original statement of D'Alembert's principle; Appendix C. Equations of motion of MacCullagh's ether; Appendix D. Characteristic function for a parabolic Keplerian orbit; Appendix E. Saddle paths for reections on a mirror; Appendix F. Kinetic caustics from quantum motion in one dimension; Appendix G. Einstein's proof of the covariance of Maxwell's equations; Appendix H. Relativistic four vector potential; Appendix I. Ehrenfest's proof of the adiabatic theorem; References; Index.