Mechanics

Students will learn the Newtonian mechanics of a point mass, of extended systems (fluids and rigid bodies) and will be introduced to special relativity.

At the end of the course students are expected to:
· Know how to describe the kinematics of a point mass;
· Identify the system of forces acting on a point mass and deduce its motion;
· Know the main dynamics variables (momentum, energy, angular momentum) and their conservation laws;
· Address the dynamics of extended systems (systems of point masses, fluids, rigid bodies);
· Know the properties of the motion in a gravitational field;
· Know the basics of special relativity (space-time transforms, four-vectors, relativistic energy and momentum, mass<-->energy transformations)
The knowledge must be both theoretical (ability to explain topics in details and to answer upon requests of clarification) and practical (ability in solving quantitatively specific problems)