
This Is A Rare Book On A Rare Topic: It Is About 'action' And The Principle Of Least Action. A Surprisingly Well-kept Secret, These Ideas Are At The Heart Of Physical Science And Engineering. Physics Is Well Known As Being Concerned With Grand Conservatory Principles (e.g. The Conservation Of Energy) But Equally Important Is The Optimization Principle (such As Getting Somewhere In The Shortest Time Or With The Least Resistance). The Book Explains: Why An Optimization Principle Underlies Physics, What Action Is, What `the Hamiltonian' Is, And How New Insights Into Energy, Space, And Time Arise. It Assumes Some Background In The Physical Sciences, At The Level Of Undergraduate Science, But It Is Not A Textbook. The Requisite Derivations And Worked Examples Are Given But May Be Skim-read If Desired. The Author Draws From Cornelius Lanczos's Book The Variational Principles Of Mechanics (1949 And 1970). Lanczos Was A Brilliant Mathematician And Educator, But His Book Was For A Postgraduate Audience. The Present Book Is No Mere Copy With The Difficult Bits Left Out - It Is Original, And A Popularization. It Aims To Explain Ideas Rather Than Achieve Technical Competence, And To Show How Least Action Leads Into The Whole Of Physics.
This book investigates the fundamental role of the Principle of Least Action as the underlying optimization mechanism governing physical science and engineering. Jennifer Coopersmith, drawing upon her background in physical sciences, argues that while conservation principles are widely recognized, optimization principles—such as achieving outcomes with the least resistance—are equally vital to understanding the universe. The text serves as a bridge between advanced academic mechanics and accessible scientific explanation, providing a framework that connects variational principles to broader physical phenomena.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Readers frequently note that the book successfully translates complex mathematical concepts into a more accessible format for those with a basic scientific background. Experts highlight the work as a valuable bridge for students who find postgraduate texts like those of Lanczos too dense for initial study.
Page Count:
272
Publication Date:
2017-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191060739
ISBN-13:
9780191060731
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