PHYS2113 2023 Video 11 -- The Legendre Transform

This lecture is the first of a series of four on Hamiltonian mechanics. We start by looking at the Hamiltonian approach more generally and how it is related in a shift in variable set from generalised coordinates and generalised velocities to generalised coordinates and generalised momenta. We look at the differences between state spaces and phase spaces, and finish with a very detailed look at the Legendre transform for two arbitrary functions F and G to set up for the next video.

Lecturer: Prof. Adam Micolich

Background: Yamashita Park, Yokohama Waterfront, Japan.