Generalized coordinates

1. Jul 3, 2005

I have just started to read Goldstein's classical mechanics, and he got me a bit confused: is it correct to think of polar and spherical coordinates as of generalized coordinates? the way I got it, every coordinate system different from the standard cartesian-one is a set of generalized coordinates...?

2. Jul 3, 2005

dextercioby

No. Think about the 1D movement along the "x" axis. Which is the generalized coordinate...?

Daniel.

3. Jul 3, 2005

fliptomato

Generalized coordinates refer to any coordinate system. i.e. a statement about generalized coordinates holds for cartesian, spherical, cylindrical, etc. coordinate systems. In particular, one is free to choose any convenient coordinate system for a problem and solve the problem using Lagrange's equations for that coordinate system.

4. Jul 3, 2005

CarlB

Yes, polar and spherical coordinates are generalized coordiantes for the position of a single particle. But general coordinates are a lot moe general. And cartesian coordinates are, technically at least, also "general coordinates".

Carl