Advanced Texts in Physics

This book provides an excellent introduction to Newtonian mechanics at an undergraduate level, it is used at University of Copenhague. All the classical topics are presented in a very clear way an discussed with many physicaI examples. The book is divided in 16 chapters and contains more than 100 problerns, of various difficulties, with solutions. It's pedagogical conception is absolutely remarkable, all concepts are carefully introduced and physically discussed with mamy details. Foundation of classical mechanics is first introduced and commented on many problems like acceleration of gravity, circular motion or conmunication satellite. Next chapter is devoted to Newton's laws of motion, more than 30 pages of the book contains examples, on direct applications of these law, from: various fields of physics. Gravitational and inertial mass are discussed in the next chapter and is followed by the concept of Galilei transformation. The next three chapters examine the problem of motion respectively of the Earth, in accelerated reference frames and at the kinematic and dynamic point of view. Energy, Center-of Mass and angular momentum theorem are analysed with some details in chapters 8-10. The problem of rigid body including the motion of the planets and the Kepler Iaws are presented and discussed with great attention. The book ends with the important problem of harmonic oscillators and some remarks on non-linear dynamics. In conclusion I warmly recommend this book to everyone interesting in Newtonian mechanics.
S. Metens. Physicalia, 2001/XXXVII/4

"The book presents an excellant description of basic principles of classical mechanics....This book can be useful not only to students, but also to specialists who teach the powerful methods of Newtonian mechanics and the imaginary Newton's world governed by laws of classical mechanics."-Zentralblatt MATH