| Summary: | An Introduction to Mechanics grew out of a one-semester course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—Physics 8.012—intended for students who seek to understand physics more deeply than the usual freshman level. In the four decades since this text was written physics has moved forward on many fronts but mechanics continues to be a bedrock for concepts such as inertia, momentum, and energy; fluency in the physicist's approach to problem-solving—an underlying theme of this book—remains priceless. We assume that our readers know enough elementary calculus to differentiate and integrate simple polynomials and trigonometric functions. We do not assume any familiarity with differential equations. Our experience is that the principal challenge for most students is not with understanding mathematical concepts but in learning how to apply them to physical problems. |
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