Related papers: A Huygens-Leibniz-Lange framework for classical me…
The Lagrangian formulation of classical mechanics is widely applicable in solving a vast array of physics problems encountered in the undergraduate and graduate physics curriculum. Unfortunately, many treatments of the topic lack…
Most of the logical objections against the classical laws of motion, as they are usually presented in textbooks, centre on the fact that defining force in terms of mass and acceleration, the first two laws are mere assertions of concepts to…
We show that classical particle mechanics (Hamiltonian and Lagrangian consistent with relativistic electromagnetism) can be derived from three fundamental assumptions: infinite reducibility, deterministic and reversible evolution, and…
Newtons Laws of Motion form the basis of classical mechanics, but misconceptions about their interrelationships persist in pedagogy. A prevalent misunderstanding is that Newtons First Law is a trivial consequence of the Second Law. This…
The classical motion of spinning particles can be described without employing Grassmann variables or Clifford algebras, but simply by generalizing the usual spinless theory. We only assume the invariance with respect to the Poincare' group;…
In this note I sketch the work of Christiaan Huygens to develop a theory of motion and its application to elastic collisions. In this theory he uses the relativity of uniform linear motion to derive the conservation of momentum and kinetic…
This article is an attempt for a new vision of the basics of Physics, and of Relativity, in particular. A new generalized principle of inertia is proposed, as an universal principle, based on universality of the conservation laws, not…
The principle which allows to construct new physical theories on the basis of classical mechanics by reduction of the number of its axiom without engaging new postulates is formulated. The arising incompleteness of theory manifests itself…
Relativity and classical dynamics, as defined so far, form distinct parts of classical physics and are formulated based on independent principles. We propose that the formalism of classical dynamics can be considered as the theoretical…
This contribution analyses the classical laws of motion by means of an approach relating time and entropy. We argue that adopting the notion of change of states as opposed to the usual derivation of Newton's laws in terms of fields a…
A new approach to relativistic mechanics is proposed, suitable to describe dynamics of different kinds of relativistic particles. Mathematically it is based on an application of the recent geometric theory of nonholonomic systems on fibred…
New, gauge-independent, second-order Lagrangian for the motion of classical, charged test particles is proposed. It differs from the standard, gauge-dependent, first order Lagrangian by boundary terms only. A new method of deriving…
Classical and quantum physics represent two distinct theories; however, quantum physics is regarded as the more fundamental of the two. It is posited that classical mechanics should arise from quantum mechanics under certain limiting…
This article serves as a pedagogical introduction to the problem of motion in classical field theories. The primary focus is on self-interaction: How does an object's own field affect its motion? General laws governing the self-force and…
We present and discuss a selected set of problems of classical mechanics and thermodynamics. The discussion is based on the use of the impulse-momentum equation simultaneously with the centre-of-mass (pseudo-work) equation or with the first…
The aim of this work is to show that particle mechanics, both classical and quantum, Hamiltonian and Lagrangian, can be derived from few simple physical assumptions. Assuming deterministic and reversible time evolution will give us a…
Classical non-relativistic mechanics in a general setting of time-dependent transformations and reference frame changes is formulated in the terms of fibre bundles over the time-axis R. Connections on fibre bundles are the main ingredient…
Action at a distance in Newtonian physics is replaced by finite propagation speeds in classical physics, the physics defined by the field theories of Maxwell and Einstein. As a result, the differential equations of motion in Newtonian…
In the present essay we attempt to reconstruct Newtonian mechanics under the guidance of logical principles and of a constructive approach related to the genetic epistemology of J. Piaget and R. Garc\'ia \citep{piag89}. Instead of…
Despite its apparent simplicity, Newtonian Mechanics contains conceptual subtleties that may cause some confusion to the deep-thinking student. These subtleties concern fundamental issues such as, e.g., the number of independent laws needed…