Classical Mechanics- something bothering me

In summary, the question is under what conditions can a Hamiltonian be built from a given Lagrangian, specifically in the "familiar" form of Kinetic-Potential energy and without any connection to the potential or inclusion of "generalized velocities." The expert suggests that any conditions would work, even for degenerate systems, as long as the Lagrangian has the specified form. The potential is not necessary for building the Hamiltonian.
  • #1
Palindrom
263
0
Under what conditions can I "build" a Hamiltonian from a given Lagrangian?
I'm thinking it might have something to do with the potential, but it's not really clear to me what it is the question is.
 
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  • #2
Palindrom said:
Under what conditions can I "build" a Hamiltonian from a given Lagrangian?
I'm thinking it might have something to do with the potential, but it's not really clear to me what it is the question is.

Any conditions,provided the Lagrangian has the "familiar" form:Kinetic-Potential energy.
It has no connection with the potential,as long it is coordinate dependent only and does not contain "generalized velocities".
Daniel

PS.In the first statement i included the degenerate systems.
 
  • #3
dextercioby said:
Any conditions,provided the Lagrangian has the "familiar" form:Kinetic-Potential energy.
It has no connection with the potential,as long it is coordinate dependent only and does not contain "generalized velocities".
Daniel

PS.In the first statement i included the degenerate systems.
I think that might be it. Besides, they gave me the kinetical energy, but not the potential, so it's probably it.
Thanks!
 

What is classical mechanics and why is it important?

Classical mechanics is a branch of physics that deals with the motion of objects and the forces that cause them to move. It is important because it provides a fundamental understanding of the physical world and is the basis for many other areas of physics, such as thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics.

What are the main principles of classical mechanics?

The main principles of classical mechanics are Newton's laws of motion, which state that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force, and that the force acting on an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration. Other important principles include conservation of energy and momentum, and the principle of least action.

What are some real-world applications of classical mechanics?

Classical mechanics has many practical applications, including designing structures and machines, predicting the motion of objects in space, and understanding the behavior of fluids. It is also crucial for fields such as engineering, architecture, and astronomy.

How does classical mechanics differ from quantum mechanics?

Classical mechanics describes the behavior of macroscopic objects, while quantum mechanics deals with the behavior of subatomic particles. Classical mechanics is deterministic, meaning that the future state of a system can be predicted based on its current state, while quantum mechanics is probabilistic and involves uncertainty in predicting the behavior of particles.

What are some common misconceptions about classical mechanics?

One common misconception is that classical mechanics is only applicable to large-scale objects. In reality, it can also accurately describe the behavior of smaller objects, as long as they are not at the quantum scale. Another misconception is that classical mechanics is outdated and has been replaced by modern physics, when in fact it is still widely used and relevant in many areas of science and engineering.

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