Proseminar on Theoretical Physics
winter semester 2018/19
Dr. Alena Astakhova
Institut für Theoretische Physik
Technische Universität Dresden
Raum A144, Zellerscher Weg 17
Phone: 0351 463 33496
E-mail: alena.astakhova@tu-dresden.de
Location: BZW/A120
Time: 14:50 (5.DS) Wednesday
First Seminar: 10.10.2018
Last Seminar: 30.01.2019
Lecture language: English
Previous knowledge: Theoretical Mechanics
Enrolment: by email
Summary of Lecture: The seminar will require students to read an academic paper selected from the list below and to present a 30 minutes seminar on the subject. The aim of the seminar will be to familiarize students with scientific research literature, and to develop their comprehension and communication skills. All articles are taken from the American Journal of Physics, and are available on-line through the subscription of the SLUB.
The following talks are from the field of classical mechanics:
1. "From conservation of energy to the principle of least action: A story line", J. Hanc, and E.F. Taylor, American Journal of Physics 72, 514 (2004).
2. "Mechanics of two pendulums coupled by a stressed spring", M. Maianti, S. Pagliara, G. Galimberti, and F. Parmigiani, American Journal of Physics 77, 834 (2009).
3. "Thomas scattering: Just kinematics", I.S. Bitensky, American Journal of Physics 66, 624 (1998).
4. "Unraveling a classical mechanics brain twister", N. Paris, and M.L. Broide, American Journal of Physics 79, 1250 (2011).
5. "Fun with stacking blocks", J.F. Hall, American Journal of Physics 73, 1107 (2005).
6. "A study of kinetic friction: The Timoshenko oscillator", R. Henaff, G. Le Doudic, B. Pilette, C. Even, J.-M. Fischbach, F. Bouquet, J. Bobroff, M. Monteverde, and C. A. Marrache-Kikuchi, American Journal of Physics 86, 174 (2018).
7. "The motion of two identical masses connected by an ideal string symmetrically placed over a corner", C. Rasinariu, and A. Gangopadhyaya, American Journal of Physics 84, 836 (2016).
8. "The coefficient of restitution for collisions of happy balls, unhappy balls, and tennis balls", R. Cross, American Journal of Physics 68, 1025 (2000).
9. "Curvature in orbital dynamics", M. Nauenberg, American Journal of Physics 73, 340 (2005).
10. "Motion of a hexagonal pencil on an inclined plane", A. Rezaeezadeh, American Journal of Physics 77, 401 (2009).
11. "Dynamics of circular motion with friction", L.P. Franklin, and P.I. Kimmel, American Journal of Physics 48, 207 (1980).
12. "Hodograph: A useful geometrical tool for solving some difficult problems in dynamics", T.A. Apostolatos, American Journal of Physics 71, 261 (2003).
13. "A block slipping on a sphere with friction: Exact and perturbative solutions", Tom Prior, and E. J. Mele, American Journal of Physics 75, 423 (2007).
14. "The physics of juggling a spinning ping-pong ball", R. Widenhorn, American Journal of Physics 84, 936 (2016).
15. "Making sense of the Legendre transform", R.K.P. Zia, E.F. Redish, and S.R. McKay, American Journal of Physics 77, 614 (2009).
16. "Falling chains", C.W. Wong, and K. Yasui, American Journal of Physics 74, 490 (2006).
17. "Dimensional analysis, falling bodies, and the fine art of not solving differential equations", C.F. Bohren, American Journal of Physics 72, 534 (2004).
18. "Remarkable shapes of a catenary under the effect of gravity and surface tension”, F. Behroozi, P. Mohazzabi, and J. P. McCrickard, American Journal of Physics 62, 1121 (1994).
19. "Orbits of central force law potentials", C.P. Poole, J.L. Safko, and H.A. Farach, American Journal of Physics 73, 40 (2005).
20. "Impact of a ball on a surface with tangential compliance", R. Cross, American Journal of Physics 78, 716 (2010).
Topics in bold have already been assigned to participants.
Please, send a ranked list of 3-5 topics from the list by email until Sept 28th. The seminar takes place in BZW A120 on Wednesday 14:50. The first seminar takes place on Oct 10th, 14:50 where I will give an introductory discussion.