Classical Mechanics: Matrices and Transformations

MISN-0-491
MATRICES AND TRANSFORMATIONS
Classical Mechanics
Project PHYSNET Physics Bldg. Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
MATRICES AND TRANSFORMATIONS by C. P. Frahm 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2. Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
ID Sheet: MISN-0-491 THIS IS A DEVELOPMENTAL-STAGE PUBLICATION OF PROJECT PHYSNET The goal of our project is to assist a network of educators and scientists in transferring physics from one person to another. We support manuscript processing and distribution, along with communication and information systems. We also work with employers to identify basic scientic skills as well as physics topics that are needed in science and technology. A number of our publications are aimed at assisting users in acquiring such skills. Our publications are designed: (i) to be updated quickly in response to eld tests and new scientic developments; (ii) to be used in both classroom and professional settings; (iii) to show the prerequisite dependencies existing among the various chunks of physics knowledge and skill, as a guide both to mental organization and to use of the materials; and (iv) to be adapted quickly to specic user needs ranging from single-skill instruction to complete custom textbooks. New authors, reviewers and eld testers are welcome. PROJECT STAFF Andrew Schnepp Eugene Kales Peter Signell Webmaster Graphics Project Director
Title: Matrices and Transformations Author: C. P. Frahm, Physics Dept., Illinois State Univ Version: 2/1/2000 Length: 2 hr; 9 pages Input Skills: 1. Vocabulary: coordinate system, Cartesian coordinate system, reference frame, inertial frame orthogonal coordinate systems, rectangular coordinate system, dipolar cylindrical coordinate system, coordinate transformation, commutative. 2. State the geometrical denition of a vector (MISN-0-2). 3. Express the projection of a vector on a coordinate axis as a magnitude times an appropriate trigonometric function (MISN-0-2). Output Skills (Knowledge): K1. Vocabulary: matrix, unit matrix, diagonal matrix, transpose of a matrix, inverse of a matrix, orthogonal matrix, scalar, vector, tensor. Output Skills (Rule Application): R1. Carry out these operations involving matrices: multiplication, addition, subtraction, multiplication by a scalar. R2. Determine the determinant and inverse of a square matrix. R3. Determine the transpose and inverse of a product of matrices. Output Skills (Problem Solving): S1. Given a position coordinate or an arbitrary vector, perform a coordinate rotation both symbolically (in terms of matrices) and numerically. External Resources (Required): 1. J. Marion, Classical Dynamics, Academic Press (1988). Evaluation: Stage B0
ADVISORY COMMITTEE D. Alan Bromley E. Leonard Jossem A. A. Strassenburg Yale University The Ohio State University S. U. N. Y., Stony Brook
Views expressed in a module are those of the module author(s) and are not necessarily those of other project participants. c 2001, Peter Signell for Project PHYSNET, Physics-Astronomy Bldg., Mich. State Univ., E. Lansing, MI 48824; (517) 355-3784. For our liberal use policies see: http://www.physnet.org/home/modules/license.html.
MISN-0-491
MISN-0-491
MATRICES AND TRANSFORMATIONS by C. P. Frahm 1. Introduction

In most introductory mechanics courses the emphasis is on the application of the laws of mechanics to various mechanical systems. It is tacitly, if not explicitly, assumed that the calculations are made entirely within one reference frame and, in fact, relative to a single coordinate system xed in that frame. Usually no time is devoted to the problem of converting the description of the motion relative to one coordinate system into the appropriate description relative to another coordinate system. However, such conversion problems are important for at least two reasons. First, there is one of practicality - it is quite often advantageous, either for conceptual or calculational purposes, to move back and forth between two or more coordinate systems and/or reference frames. That is, the problem may be simpler in one system than another. Secondly, and more fundamentally, there is a very strong feeling among most practicing physicists that the laws of physics should have the same form in all inertial frames. This means that the laws of physics must be constructed in such a way that when they are transformed from one frame to another, their form does not change. Hence, it should be clear that a study of transformations is an important part of advanced mechanics. Certain kinds of transformations - those relating descriptions of vector quantities in rotated orthogonal coordinate systems - are very conveniently handled in matrix language while other more complicated transformations are best handled in the language of tensors. This unit is concerned with the fundamental ideas associated with matrices and transformations.
In eq. (1.44) of Marion, a vector is dened to be a quantity which relative to an orthogonal coordinate system has three components and these three components behave in a certain way under coordinate rotations, namely: Ai = ij Aj .
j
Tensors are dened in a similar way. An nth rank tensor is a quantity which has 3 components and transforms like a product of n vectors. (Note that vectors are rst rank tensors while scalars are zeroth rank tensors). Thus under rotations a second rank tensor transforms like: Tkl =
ij
ki lj Tij ,
while a third-rank tensor transforms according to: Tklm =

hij
kh li mj Thij .
2. Work problem 1-4 in Marion. Work these exercises: (1) Evaluate the product 1 2 (2) Given 2 A= 1 2 nd: A2 , AB, BA, B 2 . (3) Using A and B of part (2), evaluate (AB)t and B t At separately and compare. (4) Using A and B of part (2), evaluate detA, A1 , detB, B 1 . Check your results by evaluating AA1 and BB 1 . 0 5 1 1 2 2 , B = 1 1 3 1 1 0 4 2 , 1 2 1 2 0 1 4 .
2. Procedures
1. Read Marion, Sections 1.1-1.9. Write down denitions of the quantities listed in Output Skill K1. Your denition of a matrix should include the multiplication rule, i.e., AB = C
j
Aij Bjk = Cik .
MISN-0-491 (5) Using A and B of part (2) and the preceding results, evaluate: 3 A + BA1 B . 5 (6) Given: 1 0 3 1 2 6 5 3 2 0 , Q= 3 1 4 1 , 2 3
P =
evaluate P Q and QP . If another column of numbers were added to Q so that it would have three columns and four rows, would P Q still be meaningful? How about QP ? 3. Work problems 1-3 and 1-6 in Marion. If a certain point has coordinates (x, y, z) = (2, 1, 3) in the original coordinate system of problem 1-1 of Marion, what are the coordinates of this same physical point in the rotated coordinated system? The momentum of a particle as described in the original coordinate system of problem 1-3 of Marion is given by p = (2 5 + 3 ) gm cm/sec , 1 2 3 where the hats denote unit vectors. What is the momentum of this same particle as described in the rotated coordinate system? Are the physically important quantities, magnitude and direction, altered by the transformation?
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank Illinois State University for support in the construction of this lesson. Preparation of this module was supported in part by the National Science Foundation, Division of Science Education Development and Research, through Grant #SED 74-20088 to Michigan State University.

Classical Mechanics: Matrices and Transformations

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Classical Mechanics: Matrices and Transformations

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MISN-0-491

MATRICES AND TRANSFORMATIONS

MATRICES AND TRANSFORMATIONS by C. P. Frahm 1. Introduction

while a third-rank tensor transforms according to: Tklm =

Aij Bjk = Cik .

You might also like