Tutorials on generalized coordinates and Lagrangians
Generalized coordinates
Tutorial title
Emphasis (what do students do?)
Links to materials
Distinguish coordinates describing (Newtonian) forces can those describing motion; recognize the role of constraints in describing the evolution of a system
Use productive intuitions to develop formal mathematical language for defining generalized coordinates
The Lagrangian
Contact information for co-PIs
Bradley S. Ambrose
Department of Physics
118 Padnos Hall
Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI 49401
Tel.: 616-331-2524
FAX: 616-331-3740
Email: ambroseb@gvsu.edu
Michael C. Wittmann
Department of Physics and Astronomy
5709 Bennett Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04401-5709
Tel.: 207-581-1237
FAX: 207-581-3410
Email: wittmann@umit.maine.edu
Perform a step-by-step analysis—defining generalized coordinates, writing down Lagrangian, and solving for equations of motion—of the Atwood’s machine
Reflect upon similarities and differences between Newtonian and Lagrangian methods of solution
Creative Commons License
Sponsored in part by NSF grants DUE-0441426 and DUE-0442388
Intermediate Mechanics Tutorials are modeled after:
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•Tutorials in Introductory Physics, L.C. McDermott P.S. Shaffer, and the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington (Prentice Hall, 2002)
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•Activity-Based Tutorials, M.C. Wittmann, R.N. Steinberg, E.F. Redish, and the University of Maryland Physics Education Research Group (Wiley, 2004 and 2005)