All phenomena in nature are characterized by motion. Mechanics deals with the objective laws of mechanical motion of bodies, the simplest form of motion. In the study of a science of nature, mathematics plays an important rôle. Mechanics is the first science of nature which has been expressed in terms of mathematics, by considering various mathematical models, associated to phenomena of the surrounding nature. Thus, its development was influenced by the use of a strong mathematical tool. As it was already seen in the first two volumes of the present book, its guideline is precisely the mathematical model of mechanics. The classical models which we refer to are in fact models based on the Newtonian model of mechanics, that is on its five principles, i.e.: the inertia, the forces action, the action and reaction, the independence of the forces action and the initial conditions principle, respectively. Other models, e.g., the model of attraction forces between the particles of a discrete mechanical system, are part of the considered Newtonian model. Kepler's laws brilliantly verify this model in case of velocities much smaller then the light velocity in vacuum.
This third volume completes the Work Mechanical Systems, Classical Models. The first two volumes dealt with particle dynamics and with discrete and continuous mechanical systems. The present volume studies analytical mechanics. Topics like Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, the Hamilton-Jacobi method, and a study of systems with separate variables are thoroughly discussed. Also included are variational principles and canonical transformations, integral invariants and exterior differential calculus, and particular attention is given to non-holonomic mechanical systems.
The author explains in detail all important aspects of the science of mechanics, regarded as a natural science, and shows how they are useful in understanding important natural phenomena and solving problems of interest in applied and engineering sciences.
Professor Teodorescu has spent more than fifty years as a Professor of Mechanics at the University of Bucharest and this book relies on the extensive literature on the subject as well as the author's original contributions.
Audience: scientists and researchers in applied mathematics, physics and engineering.
From the reviews:
"The present one deals with analytical mechanics. ? The presentation of material is carefully thought out and combines the exactness, completeness and simplicity that helps in understanding of the material. A particular impression makes the rich bibliography and the completeness of author's scope. This book is one of the best modern courses on analytical mechanics ? . Undoubtedly, this course will be useful for scientists, engineers, teachers and students." (Alexander Mikhailovich Kovalev, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1177, 2010)
