Geometric Mechanics
Edition: 1 edition
Publisher: Springer
Published: December 5, 2002
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 270
ISBN-13: 9783540442424
Subjects: Classical mechanics; Differential & Riemannian geometry; Mathematics; Analytic Mechanics (Mathematical Aspects); Differential Geometry; Science; Science/Mathematics; Mechanics - General; General; Mathematical Physics; Science / Mathematical Physics; dynamical Systems; general relativity; geometric mechanics; holonomic and non-holonomic systems; special relativity; Advanced; Geometry - Differential; Geometry, Differential; Mechanics, Analytic
First sentence: A topological manifold Q of dimension n is a topological Hausdorff space with a countable basis of open sets such that each x ? Q has an open neighborhood homeomorphic to an open subset of the Euclidean space Rn.
Description: Geometric Mechanics here means mechanics on a pseudo-riemannian manifold and the main goal is the study of some mechanical models and concepts, with emphasis on the intrinsic and geometric aspects arising in classical problems. The first seven chapters are written in the spirit of Newtonian Mechanics while the last two ones as well as two of the four appendices describe the foundations and some aspects of Special and General Relativity. All the material has a coordinate free presentation but, for the sake of motivation, many examples and exercises are included in order to exhibit the desirable flavor of physical applications.