Techniques of Theoretical Mechanics | 2026-Fall

Course Name
Techniques of Theoretical Mechanics
Course Number
ph335
Year/Term
Fall-2026
Course Credits
4
Class meeting times
9 hours of lecture/discussion per week for 5 weeks.
Prerequisites
PH 212 and MTH 254
Course description
Newtonian, Lagrangian, and Hamiltonian classical mechanics. Special relativity with relativistic mechanics.
Topic/Day
Activities
Resources
Homework Due
W 9/24 Day 1
Welcome

Welcome to PH 335!

APS Teamwork Guidelines

Key Request Form
Gradescope Guides for Students

Photo Release Form
Photo Release Form
Consent to Participate in Research
Research Consent Form
Th Day 2 MathBits
Class Norms
Establish Classroom Norms
Representations of Vectors
GMM: Vectors
GMM: Bases
GMM: Unit Vectors
Dot Product
GMM: The Dot Product
GMM: Visualizing the Dot Product
Calculating the Distance Between Two Points
GMM: The Distance Formula
GEM 1.1.2, 1.1.4
Vectors in Different Coordinate Systems
GMM: Polar Basis Vectors
GMM: Orthonormality of Basis Vectors
F Day 3 MathBits
The Spacetime Interval
M Day 4 MathBits
Partial Derivatives
GMM: Review of Single Variable Differentiation
GMM: Leibniz vs. Newton
Zapping with "d"
GMM: Differentials
GMM: Rules for Differentials
GMM: Properties of Differentials
GMM: Substitution
GMM: Differentials: Summary
First-Order ODEs: Forms & Theorems
GMM: First-Order ODEs: Forms and Theorems
T Day 5 MathBits
Separable ODE's
GMM: Separable ODEs
Circle Trig

Dray Ch.3,

GMM: Polar and Rectangular Coordinates
GMM: Visualizing Circle Trigonometry
Webpage: Review Trig Functions
Simulation: Trig Tour PhET

Polar Coordinates Review
GMM: Polar Coordinates
Cylindrical & Spherical Coordinates
Surfaces with constant curvilinear coordinates
GMM: Curvilinear Coordinates
GMM: Change of Coordinates
GEM 1.4
W Day 6 MathBits
Generalized Coordinates & Degrees of Freedom
Taylor 7.3
Th Day 7 MathBits
Representing a Function with a Power Series
Adding Functions Pointwise
Using Technology to Explore Power Series Approximations
Guess the Power Series
Derivation of Power Series Coefficients Calculating Coefficients for a Power Series
GMM: Definition of Power Series
GMM: Guessing Power Series from Graphs
GMM: Common Power Series
GMM: Calculating Power Series Coefficients
GMM: Discussion of Approximations using Power Series
GMM: Dimensions in Power Series
More Power Series
Visualization of Power Series Approximations
Video: Intro to Power Series
GMM: Theorems about Power Series GMM: Convergence of Power Series
F Day 8 MathBits
T 10/7 Day 10