Newtonian Dynamics: An Introduction

This textbook provides a comprehensive review of Newtonian dynamics at a level suitable for undergraduate physics students. It demonstrates that Newton’s three laws of motion, combined with a few simple force laws, not only can describe the motions of everyday objects observed on the surface of the Earth, but can also account for the motions of celestial objects seen in the sky. It helps bridge the problematic transition between elementary physics courses and upper-division physics courses. The book starts off at a level suitable for undergraduate (freshman) physics students and very gradually increases, until, toward the end, it approaches (but does not quite reach) a level characteristic of a graduate (senior) physics course. Each chapter of the book ends with a large number of numerical and analytical exercises and, in all appropriate cases, the final answers to the exercises are specified. The large number of exercises will allow students to accurately test their understanding of the material presented in the book, ideal for students who are self-studying or are taking classes remotely. Key Features: Provides a brief and accessible introduction to a complex topic Contains a more thorough treatment of the motions of heavenly bodies than conventional elementary mechanics texts Provides a wealth of end-of-chapter exercises to test understanding Richard Fitzpatrick is a Professor of physics at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, where he has been a faculty member since 1994. He is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society, a fellow of the American Physical Society, and the author of several textbooks.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgements Measurement and Units Mks Units Standard Prefixes Other Units. Dimensional Analysis Experimental Errors Exercises Motion in One Dimension Introduction Displacement Velocity Acceleration Motion with Constant Velocity Motion with Constant Acceleration Useful Results Free-Fall Under Gravity Exercises Motion in Three Dimensions Introduction Vector Mathematics Scalars and Vectors Vector Algebra Cartesian Components of a Vector Coordinate Transformations Scalar Product Vector Product Vector Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration Motion with Constant Velocity Motion with Constant Acceleration Projectile Motion Relative Velocity Exercises Newton's Laws of Motion Introduction Newton's First Law of Motion Newton's Second Law of Motion Measurement of Force Newton's Third Law of Motion Mass, Weight, and Reaction Block Resting on Earth's Surface Block in an Elevator Suspended Masses Block Suspended by a Single Cable Block Suspended by Three Cables Two Blocks Suspended by Five Cables Many Blocks Suspended by Many Cables Catenary Suspension Bridge Cable-Pulley Systems Simple Pulley Compound Pulley Table Pulley Atwood Machine Velocity-Dependent Forces Friction Inclined Planes Smooth Planes Rough Planes Frames of Reference Exercises Conservation of Energy Introduction Energy Conservation During Free-Fall Work Conservative and Non-Conservative Force-Fields Potential Energy Hooke's Law Motion in a General One-Dimensional Potential Power Exercises Conservation of Momentum Introduction Two-Component Systems Hot-Air Balloon Cannon and Cannonball Multi-Component Systems Explosion of Krypton Rocket Science Impulses Bouncing Ball One-Dimensional Collisions Elastic Collisions Totally Inelastic Collisions Inelastic Collisions Two-Dimensional Collisions Exercises Circular Motion Introduction Uniform Circular Motion Centripetal Acceleration Rotating Weight on the End of a Cable Banked Curve Conical Pendulum Non-Uniform Circular Motion Vertical Pendulum Motion on Curved Surfaces Fairground Ride Skier on a Hemispherical Mountain Exercises Rotational Motion Introduction Rigid Body Rotation Is Rotation a Vector? Center of Mass Centroid of Regular Pyramid Moment of Inertia Perpendicular Axis Theorem Parallel Axis Theorem Moment of Inertia of a Circular Disk Standard Moments of Inertia Torque Power and Work Translational Motion Versus Rotational Motion Unwinding Pulley Physics of Baseball Bats Combined Translational and Rotational Motion Cylinder Rolling Down a Rough Incline Exercises Angular Momentum Introduction Angular Momentum of a Point Particle Angular Momentum of an Extended Object Angular Momentum of a Multi-Component System Conservation of Angular Momentum Two Movable Weights on a Rotating Rod Figure Skater Bullet Striking a Pivoted Rod Spinning Top Exercises Statics Introduction Principles of Statics Equilibrium of a Laminar Object Rods and Cables Horizontal Rod Suspended from Two Cables Pivoting Horizontal Rod Supported by a Cable Ladders and Walls Jointed Rods Tipping or Sliding? Exercises Oscillatory Motion Introduction Simple Harmonic Motion Torsion Pendulum Simple Pendulum Compound Pendulum Exercises Rotating Reference Frames Introduction Rotating Reference Frames Centrifugal Acceleration Coriolis Force Foucault Pendulum Exercises Newtonian Gravity Introduction Universal Gravity Surface Gravity Gravitational Potential Energy Escape Velocity Circular Orbits Lunar Orbital Period Geostationary Satellites Exercises Orbital Motion Introduction Kepler's Laws Planetary Equations of Motion Conic Sections Kepler's Second Law Kepler's First Law Kepler's Third Law Orbital Parameters Orbital Energies Transfer Orbits Low-Eccentricity Orbits Two-Body Dynamics Binary Star Systems Exercises Gravitational Potential Theory Introduction Gravitational Potential Axially-Symmetric Mass Distributions Gravitational Potential due to a Uniform Sphere Gravitational Potential Outside a Uniform Spheroid Rotational Flattening Rotational Flattening of Earth Tidal Elongation Tidal Elongation of Earth due to Moon Tidal Elongation of Earth due to Sun Ocean Tides Luni-Solar Precession Exercises Useful Mathematics Calculus Series Expansions Trigonometric Identities Hyperbolic Identities Complex Identities Vector Identities Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Richard Fitzpatrick is a Professor of physics at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, where he has been a faculty member since 1994. He is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society, a fellow of the American Physical Society, and the author of several textbooks.