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Revision: Previous Lectures Was About Canonical Transformation Canonical Coordinates

The document discusses several topics related to calculus of variations including: 1. Liouville's theorem states that the volume in phase space is conserved under canonical transformations. 2. Calculus of variations deals with maximizing or minimizing functionals, which are mappings from functions to real numbers, often expressed as integrals involving functions and derivatives. 3. A variational principle is used to find functions that minimize or maximize quantities depending on those functions, such as finding the shape of a chain that minimizes gravitational potential energy.

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27 views13 pages

Revision: Previous Lectures Was About Canonical Transformation Canonical Coordinates

The document discusses several topics related to calculus of variations including: 1. Liouville's theorem states that the volume in phase space is conserved under canonical transformations. 2. Calculus of variations deals with maximizing or minimizing functionals, which are mappings from functions to real numbers, often expressed as integrals involving functions and derivatives. 3. A variational principle is used to find functions that minimize or maximize quantities depending on those functions, such as finding the shape of a chain that minimizes gravitational potential energy.

Uploaded by

edieali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Revision

Previous lectures was about

Canonical Transformation

Canonical Coordinates
Lioville’s Theorem
 Thedirect conditions allow us to prove Liouville's theorem,
which states that the volume in phase space is conserved
under canonical transformations, i.e.,

By calculus, the latter integral must equal the former times


the Jacobian 

where the Jacobian is the determinant of the matrix of partial


derivatives, which we write as
 Exploiting the "division" property of Jacobians yields

Eliminating the repeated variables gives

Application of the direct conditions above yields 


 Example:Prove by all the three methods that the following
transformation is canonical:
Calculus of Variations
Calculus of variations is a field of mathematical
analysis that deals with maximizing or
minimizing functionals (which are mappings from a set
of functions to the real numbers). Functionals are often
expressed as definite integrals involving functions and
their derivatives. The interest is in extremal functions that
make the functional attain a maximum or minimum value –
or stationary functions – those where the rate of change of
the functional is zero.
A simple example of such a problem is to find the curve of
shortest length connecting two points. If there are no
constraints, the solution is obviously a straight line
between the points. However, if the curve is constrained
to lie on a surface in space, then the solution is less
obvious, and possibly many solutions may exist. Such
solutions are known as geodesics. A related problem is
posed by Fermat's principle: light follows the path of
shortest optical length connecting two points, where the
optical length depends upon the material of the medium.
Many important problems involve functions of several
variables. Solutions of boundary value problems for
the Laplace equation satisfy the Dirichlet
principle. Plateau's problem requires finding a surface
of minimal area that spans a given contour in space: a
solution can often be found by dipping a frame in a
solution of soap suds etc.
Variational Principle

A variational principle (action principle) is a scientific


principle used within the calculus of variations, which
develops general methods for finding functions which
minimize or maximize the value of quantities that depend
upon those functions. For example, to answer this
question: "What is the shape of a chain suspended at both
ends?" we can use the variational principle that the shape
must minimize the gravitational potential energy.
 The derivation of Lagrange’s equations has started from
a consideration of the instantaneous state of the system
and small virtual displacement about that state. That is
from a differential principle such as D’ Alembert’s
principle.
It is also possible to obtain Lagrange’s equations from a
principle which considers the entire motion of the
system between times and A principle of the entire
motion from the actual motion take place, is known as
an integral principle or Hamilton’s principle.
The End

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