PHY41M1: This Course Will Be Presented Online

PHY41M1
Classical Mechanics
*This course will be presented online
Welcome
Welcome to the PHY41M1 module which, will be presented online via lecture videos due to
COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this unusual delivery mode, I hope that you will find the lectures
thought-provoking and enriching. The course certainly does present challenges. It is therefore
necessary that you work diligently. Students are also encouraged to seek immediate
assistance if things do not make sense. I will certainly set-up the TEAMS meetings to address
your queries you have raised.
Lectures
Section Schedule period
PHY41M1 Maximum of 12 weeks
You will find all the content on the WiseUp page for the course:
https://wiseup.wsu.ac.za/course/view.php?id=63446.
Note: Students must timeously check their emails and announcement (at WiseUp), at least
three times a day) to always be up to date about the proceedings of the course. It is the
student’s responsibility to be up to date.
Prescribed textbook
"Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems" 5th Edition, Thornthon & Marion, BROOKS/
COLE CENGAGE learning
Any other edition should suffice.
The course
The birth of the classical mechanics (CM) can be attributed to the great philosophers in ancient
Greece who used the astronomical work of the Babylonians to develop scientific theories of
mechanics. Click on the link for more information on the historical perspective of CM
(https://phys.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Classical_Mechanics/Variational_Principles_in_Classic
al_Mechanics_(Cline)/01%3A_A_brief_History_of_Classical_Mechanics/
1.02%3A_Greek_Antiquity).
CM is a branch of physics, which is dealing or focusing more on the description of motion of the
macroscopic object, which are far bigger than the size of an atom. These includes the
projectiles, parts of machinery, and astronomical objects, such as spacecraft, planets, stars, and
galaxies. It is important to notice that for all these macroscopic objects which are governed by
the laws of CM, if the present state is known, it is possible to predict how it will move in the
future (determinism), and how it has moved in the past (reversibility). To be more practical in our
everyday life experience, it was not going to be possible for the engineers and scientists to
develop the vehicles, space shuttle, and obviously there will be no traffic fines on our roads.
Now, just imagine how would life look like! It is, therefore, with these reasons that the study of
CM is fundamental important and will remain so for the innovative developments in
transportation of matter from one point to the another.
The goal of this course is to introduce and develop the following concepts:
 Use and application of matrices, vectors, and vector calculus in classical physics
 Some methods in the calculus of variation
 Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics
 Motions under the central force
 Dynamics of a system of particles
Once the concepts are well understood, you will be introduced to basic problem-solving
techniques.
Assessments
1. You will also be writing online summative tutorial test at least every 2 nd week (on the work
done on the previous chapter/s) and two semester tests (at least after X2 tutorial tests).
2. Semester tests
 Test 1: (dates and time to be announced)
 Test 2: (dates and time to be announced)
Assessments and mark composition

Type Frequency Weight
Semester tests 2 x semester tests 60%
Tutorials tests and assignments At least 1 x every 2nd week 40%
= DP
FINAL MARKS CALCULATION
Exam 40%
DP 60%
General rules to be aware of on assessments
It is very important to note the following:

1. To qualify to sit for examination, DP must be 40% or higher.
2. To pass a module, final mark must be 50% or higher.
3. To qualify to write supplementary (SUPP) exam, main exam mark must be 40% or
higher.
Purpose Statement
Module code: PHY41M1

Module name: Classical Mechanics
Credits: 24
PURPOSE
To teach students the basic concepts and principles related to classical mechanics and to
develop the skill needed to solve problems related to a variety of the central force and dynamics
of a system of particles.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After completion of this module students will be able to:
 demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles and concepts related to classical
mechanics
 apply these concepts to solving related problems
 generally, be conversant with scientific principles and their application in various fields
CORE CONTENT
 Calculus of variations
 Hamilton’s principle – Lgrange and Hamaltonian dynamics
 Motion under central force
 Dynamics of a system of particles.
ASSESSMENT
1 x 3 hour examination, 60% DP + 40% examination mark.
MODERATION
External
PRE-REQUISITES FOR THIS MODULE

BSc (Physics)
Course Content
Chapter 1: Matrices, Vectors, and Vector Calculus
1. Understand the relevance of classical mechanics.

2. Know the concept of scalar and vectors.
3. Derive the equation of the coordinate transformation.
4. Understand the concept of derivatives – velocity and acceleration.
5. Know the angular velocity.
6. Understand the gradient operator and integration of vectors
7. Solve problems on the above.
Chapter 6: Some Methods in the Calculus of Variations
1. Understand the general principles of the techniques of the calculus of variation.

2. Know how to determine the path that gives extremum solution.
3. Derive the Euler’s equation and its “second form”.
4. Understand the several auxiliary conditions.
5. Know the δ notation.
Chapter 7: Hamilton’s Principle – Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Dynamics
1. Know the Hamalton’s principle.

2. Know the Lagrange equation of motion.
3. Understand the equivalence of Lagrange’s and Newton’s equations.
4. Understand the essence of Lagrangian dynamics.
5. Know the theorem concerning the kinetic energy, linear, and angular momentum.
6. Know the canonical equation of motion – Hamiltonian dynamics.
Chapter 8: Central-Force Motion
1. Understand the concept of reduced mass.

2. Know conservation theorems – First integral of the motion.
3. Explain Kepler’s laws.
4. Understand the orbits in central field.
5. Understand the orbital dynamics.
Chapter 9: Dynamics of a System of Particles
1. Understand the concept of center of mass.

2. Explain the law of concervation of linear and angular momentum.
3. Derive the total energy of the system.
4. Understant the concept of the conservative system.
5. Understand the kinematics of elastic and inelastic collisions.
6. Derive Rutherford scattering formular.
7. Understand the rocket motion in free space and under gravity.
Note
Edition 5 is the version of the text that will be used in class. I will provide you with a complete
list of Tutorial Problems for each of the chapters covered at the end of each chapter’s lecture
slides. You can also download these from the WiseUp site.
PHY41M1 LECTURES SCHEDULE (2021)

Under the normal situations, this course normally takes X15 weeks. However, and due to the
very late starting, this course must be squized in a maximum of X12 weeks. The below is the
anticipated schedule of the course.
Chapters Week No. Sections Remark

1.1 – 1.3
1-2 1.14 –1.15 1st tutorial test (Scope: Chapter 1)
1
1.16 – 1.17 Tuts Problems 1: Check the at the end of lecture slides
6.1 – 6.3
3-4 6.4 – 6.5
6
7.1 – 7.4
5-6 7.5 – 7.9 2nd tutorial test (Scope: Chapter 6 and 7)
7
Test 1 (Scope: Chapter 1, 6, and 7) date to be announced
8.1 – 8.4
7-8 8.5 – 8.7 3rd tutorial test (Scope: Chapter 8)
8
9.1 – 9.4
9 - 10 9.5 – 9.8 4th tutorial test (Scope: Chapter 9)
9
Test 2 (Scope: Chapter 8 and 9) date to be announced
Revision
11 - 12 Revision
All Chapters
Revision Lecture end
Exam dates to be announced by exam office
Re-Exam dates to be announced by exam office

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PHY41M1

Assessments and mark composition

General rules to be aware of on assessments

It is very important to note the following:

Module code: PHY41M1

PRE-REQUISITES FOR THIS MODULE

Chapter 1: Matrices, Vectors, and Vector Calculus

1. Understand the relevance of classical mechanics.

Chapter 6: Some Methods in the Calculus of Variations

1. Understand the general principles of the techniques of the calculus of variation.

Chapter 7: Hamilton’s Principle – Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Dynamics

1. Know the Hamalton’s principle.

Chapter 8: Central-Force Motion

1. Understand the concept of reduced mass.

Chapter 9: Dynamics of a System of Particles

1. Understand the concept of center of mass.

PHY41M1 LECTURES SCHEDULE (2021)

Chapters Week No. Sections Remark

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