PHYS 335 - Classical Mechanics

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FA, alternate years. Theory and applications of the Newtonian framework, covering systems of particles, conservation laws, the harmonic oscillator, central forces, orbital motion, motion in non-inertial reference frames, rotations of rigid objects, coupled oscillators and normal modes, the principle of least action, and Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. The status of Newtonian determinism and the question of predictability are also addressed. Alternate years. Prerequisites: MATH 172 and at least concurrent enrollment in PHYS 235. Also recommended: CS 106, MATH 231, and MATH 270 or MATH 271.