This is a first course in classical mechanics for first year (Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science) B.Sc. students
The course is scheduled to meet from 10:30 am to 11:45 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning 5 August, 2025 in LH 5.
Attendance is required and will contribute to the course grade.Some course information will be posted on Moodle
Some text/reference books are listed here.
Topics: Vectors, linear independence, orthonormal frames, plane & spherical polar coordinates, kinematics, circular motion, Taylor series in 1 & 2 variables, vector calculus (scalar, vector fields and gradient, line integral), Newtonian concepts of time, light, simultaneity, causality, homogeneity of space and time and isotropy of space, degrees of freedom, configuration space, Galileo's principle of relativity, Newton's laws, inertial frames, superposition of forces, trajectories, forces (conservative/nonconservative), concept of direct and inverse problems, Newton's law of gravity and Galileo's equivalence principle, momentum, energy, work, angular momentum, torque, conserved quantities, conservation laws in collisions, phase space, phase portrait, time reversal, some general features of motion in one dimension (conservative and damped, turning points, time period of oscillations, bound and unbound motion), linear harmonic oscillator, plane simple pendulum, Kepler's laws of planetary motion & deduction of Newton's law of gravity, center of mass and relative variables, elliptical orbits, LRL vector, motion in a uniformly accelerated frame, fictitious forces, equivalence principle, need for special relativity, postulates of special relativity, events and space-time diagram, radar method of clock synchronization, relativity of simultaneity, Lorentz transformations, Minkowski inner product, time-dilation and length contraction.Teaching Assistants: V Gautham, Alfaz Kabir, Kanika Kakran, Vincent A Paul, Joydeep Sarkar.
Assignment 1 is due by 6pm, Monday Aug 11, 2025
Assignment 2 is due by 6pm, Friday Aug 22, 2025
Assignment 3 is due by 6pm, Friday Aug 29, 2025
Assignment 4 is due by 6pm, Monday Sep 8, 2025
Assignment 5 is due by 6pm, Friday Sep 19, 2025
The midsemester exam will be closed-book and is scheduled for 2pm in LH5 on Saturday, 27 September, 2025. Computers/phones/notes/books/discussions are not permitted. Answers must be written with a blue pen.
Assignment 6 is due by 6pm, Friday Oct 17, 2025
Assignment 7 is due by 6pm, Saturday Oct 25, 2025
Assignment 8 is due by 6pm, Friday Nov 14, 2025
The endsemester exam will be closed-book and is scheduled for 2pm in LH5 on Saturday, 22 November, 2025. Computers/phones/notes/books/discussions are not permitted. Answers must be written with a blue pen.