The Mechanical Universe: Mechanics and Heat, Advanced Edition

by Steven C. Frautschi , Richard P. Olenick , Tom M. Apostol , David L. Goodstein

• ISBN13: 9780521304320
• ISBN10: 0521304326
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1986-03-31
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Written in the same spirit and with the same vivid style as The Mechanical Universe: Introduction to Mechanics and Heat, this textbook is aimed at undergraduate students of physics and engineering. Thus the authors go into certain questions more deeply, are more concerned in describing the scientific development and consider more fully the verification, implication and justification of the ideas discussed than in the lower level book. Many more specific examples are given and each chapter ends with a problem set (a teacher's manual will be available). The mathematical tools are of course more fully developed, as befits a calculus-based course in classical mechanics.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction to the mechanical universe

The law of falling bodies

The language of nature: derivatives and integrals

Inertia

Vectors

Newton's laws and equilibrium

Universal gravitation and circular motion

Forces

Forces in accelerating reference frames

Energy: conservation and conversion

The conservation of momentum

Oscillatory motion

Angular momentum

Rotational dynamics for rigid bodies

Gyroscopes

Kepler's laws and the conic sections

Solving the Kepler problem

Navigating in space

Temperatures and the gas laws

The engine of nature

Entropy

The quest for low temperature

The international system of units

Conversion factors

Formulas from algebra, geometry, and trigonometry

Astronomical data

Physical constraints

Selected bibliography

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.