Special functions and application to physics

[jaan]

can anyone help me in solving my doubt that what is the application of special functions and Hermite,Legenders,Laguerre function to the various branches of physics.
could u please specify any link or site adress.
thank you

 

[HallsofIvy]

I'm not sure what "doubt" you have! Hermite, Legendre, and Laguerre functions are all defined as solutions to certain differential equations that show when solving Laplace's equation (or the wave equation or the heat equation) in certain coordinate systems. What more do you want to know?

 

[Dr Transport]

Check out Morse and Feshbach, Mthods of Theoretical Physics or N N Lebedev, Special Functions and Their Applications, all of the functions that you mentioned are in there with many examples of their application. One oif the best math coursees I took as an undergrad was a seminar in Special Functions, it cvome4s in handy fairly regularly.

 

[fourier jr]

the 2nd half of whittaker/watson's a course of modern analysis has lots of info on special functions. it includes sections on the gamma function, riemann zeta function, hypergeometric function, legendre functions, bessel functions, mathieu functions, elliptic functions, etc. the whole thing has practical application though. most of the stuff would apply to engineering & physics, not pure math.