6 ECTS credits
160 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1004757BNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Students must have followed ‘Mechanics’, before they can enroll for ‘Analytical Mechanics’.
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Department
Physics
Educational team
Alexandre Sevrin (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Lecture
26 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

In this course we introduce the Lagrange and the Hamilton formulations of mechanics. This will allow us to explore the deep connections between conserved quantities and symmetries of the physical problem. The knowledge acquired in this way plays a central role in many fields of modern physics.

During the course we will apply these new techiques and points of view to tackle several mechanical probelems: movement of a particle in a central potential, scattering, relative movement, the movement of an electrically charged particle in an arbitrary external electro-magnetic field, approximation techniques, ... The course ends with an extensive discussion of the movement of rigid bodies.

Course material
Handbook (Recommended) : Mechanics, Volume 1, L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz, 3de, Butterworth-Heinemann, 9780750628969, 1982
Course text (Required) : Analytische mechanica, Alexander Sveirn, Gratis beschikbaar via Canvas
Additional info

Both the lectures and the exercise sessions are essential for a proper understanding of this course. As a consequence attending both is essential.

Learning Outcomes

General competences

Objectives: to acquire a good understanding of the Lagrange and the Hamilton description of classical mechanics and to be able to apply this to the main problems of mechanics.

During this course the student will develop his computational skills and be able to use them to develop and integrate theoretical formalisms.

Furthermore the student will develop his analytical skills enabling him/her to identify a simple problem, to analyse it critically and to develop a strategy to solve it via modelling.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral with written prep with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

    Note: 2 extended applications prepared in written and accordingly discussed orally.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Not applicable.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Physics and Astronomy: Default track (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Mathematics and Data Science: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: biologie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: geografie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: chemie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: wiskunde (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: ingenieurswetenschappen (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)