PHY311 Mechanik
General Information
| Lecturer: | Prof. Gino Isidori Y36 J82 |
| Assistants: | |
| Module Code: | PHY 311 |
| ECTS Credits: | 8 |
Organisation of the course
Lectures:
Exercise classes:
- The exercise classes start in the second week of the course (first class: Wednesday, 23.09.2026)
- Regular exercise classes: By default, the exercise classes consist of two parts: i) discussion of the solutions to the exercises posted on this website the previous week; ii) new exercises to be solved in small teams during the class, with the help of the teaching assistants.
- Training tests: These two tests need to be completed individually, without the help of teaching assistants or electronic tools. They will be graded in order to provide feedback on your progress. Participation in at least one of the two tests, with a realistic attempt to solve the exercises, is a prerequisite for admission to the final exam.
- First training test: October 28, 2026 at 8:00 or 15:00 (choose one of the two options, same room as the regular exercise class)
- Second training test: December 2, 2026 at 8:00 or 15:00 (choose one of the two options, same room as the regular exercise class)
Exam's details:
- The exam will be a written test (duration: 3 hours). No books or electronic devices (phones, tables) are allowed at the exam.
- The only material allowed during the exam is the formula sheet availablehere, (PDF, 320 KB) containing a collection of mathematical formulae prepared by students in 2019.
- Exam date: February 8, 2027 at 9am [room to be announced]
Lecture details
| Lecture | Date | Handwritten notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Lecture 1 [Newtonian Mechanics] |
14.09.2026 |
|
|
Lecture 2 [Newtonian Mechanics] |
17.09.2026 |
Notes 1.3-1.4 (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Lecture 3 [Newtonian Mechanics] | 21.09.2026 | Notes 1.5-1.6 (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Lecture 4 [Newtonian Mechanics] | 24.09.2026 | Notes 1.7 (PDF, 1 MB) |
| Lecture 5 [The Lagrangian formalism] | 28.09.2026 | Notes 2.1-2.3 (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Lecture 6 [The Lagrangian formalism] | 01.10.2026 | Notes 2.4-2.5 (PDF, 2 MB) |
| Lecture 7 [The Lagrangian formalism] | 05.10.2026 | Notes 2.6-2.7 (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Lecture 8 [The Lagrangian formalism] | 08.10.2026 | Notes 2.8 (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Lecutre 9 [The two-body problem] | 12.10.2026 | Notes 3.1-3.2 (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Lecutre 10 [The two-body problem] | 15.10.2026 | Notes 3.3-3.5 (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Lecutre 11 [The two-body problem] | 19.10.2026 | Notes 3.5-3.7 (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Lecutre 12 [The two-body problem] | 21.10.2026 | Notes 3.8-3.10 (PDF, 3 MB) |
Typesetted Lecture Notes
Exercise sheets
| Series | Given on | To be discussed on | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet 1 (PDF, 267 KB) | 16.09.2026 | 23.09.2026 | Solution 1 (PDF, 316 KB) |
| Sheet 2 (PDF, 414 KB) | 23.09.2026 | 30.09.2026 | |
| Sheet 3 (PDF, 232 KB) | 30.09.2026 | 07.10.2026 | |
| Sheet 4 (PDF, 310 KB) | 07.10.2026 | 14.10.2026 | |
| Sheet 5 (PDF, 203 KB) | 14.10.2026 | 21.10.2026 | Solution 5 (PDF, 247 KB) |
Conditions for successfully completing the module
- Participation in at least one of the two training tests, with a realistic attempt to solve the exercises.
- Sufficient performance in the final written exam.
Suggested Literature
- H. Goldstein: Classical Mechanics
-
David Tong: Lectures on Classical Dynamics (Available here)
- V.I. Arnold: Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics
- L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifschitz: Mechanics (Course in Theoretical Physics Vol. 1)
- W. Greiner: Classical Mechanics (as exercise book)