All 14 Chapters
Covered
SOLUTION MANUAL
, @SOLUTIONSSTYDY
Contents
Preface v
Problems Solved in Student Solutions Manualvii
1 Matrices, Vectors, and Vector Calculus 1
2 Newtonian Mechanics—Single Particle29
3 Oscillations 79
4 Nonlinear Oscillations and Chaos127
5 Gravitation 149
6 Some Methods in The Calculus of Variations165
7 Hamilton’s Principle—Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Dynamics181
8 Central-Force Motion 233
9 Dynamics of a System of Particles277
10 Motion in a Noninertial Reference Frame333
11 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies 353
12 Coupled Oscillations 397
13 Continuous Systems; Waves435
14 Special Theory of Relativity461
iii
,iv CONTENTS
, @SOLUTIONSSTYDY
Preface
This Instructor’s Manual contains the solutions to all the end-of-chapter problems
(but not the appendices) from Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems, Fifth
Edition, by Stephen T. Thornton and Jerry B. Marion. It is intended for use only by
instructors using Classical Dynamics as a textbook, and it is not available to students
in any form. A Student Solutions Manual containing solutions to about 25% of the
end-of-chapter problems is available for sale to students. The problem numbers of
those solutions in the Student Solutions Manual are listed on the next page.
As a result of surveys received from users, I continue to add more worked out
examples in the text and add additional problems. There are now 509 problems, a
significant number over the 4th edition.
The instructor will find a large array of problems ranging in difficulty from the
simple “plug and chug” to the type worthy of the Ph.D. qualifying examinations in
classical mechanics. A few of the problems are quite challenging. Many of them require
numerical methods. Having this solutions manual should provide a greater
appreciation of what the authors intended to accomplish by the statement of the
problem in those cases where the problem statement is not completely clear. Please
inform me when either the problem statement or solutions can be improved. Specific
help is encouraged. The instructor will also be able to pick and choose different levels
of difficulty when assigning homework problems. And since students may occasionally
need hints to work some problems, this manual will allow the instructor to take a
quick peek to see how the students can be helped.
It is absolutely forbidden for the students to have access to this manual.
Please do not give students solutions from this manual. Posting these solutions on the
Internet will result in widespread distribution of the solutions and will ultimately
result in the decrease of the usefulness of the text.
The author would like to acknowledge the assistance of Tran ngoc Khanh (5th
edition), Warren Griffith (4th edition), and Brian Giambattista (3rd edition), who
checked the solutions of previous versions, went over user comments, and worked out
solutions for new problems.
Without their help, this manual would not be possible. The author would appreciate
receiving reports of suggested improvements and suspected errors. Comments can be
sent by email to , the more detailed the better.
Stephen T. Thornton
Charlottesville, Virginia
v
Covered
SOLUTION MANUAL
, @SOLUTIONSSTYDY
Contents
Preface v
Problems Solved in Student Solutions Manualvii
1 Matrices, Vectors, and Vector Calculus 1
2 Newtonian Mechanics—Single Particle29
3 Oscillations 79
4 Nonlinear Oscillations and Chaos127
5 Gravitation 149
6 Some Methods in The Calculus of Variations165
7 Hamilton’s Principle—Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Dynamics181
8 Central-Force Motion 233
9 Dynamics of a System of Particles277
10 Motion in a Noninertial Reference Frame333
11 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies 353
12 Coupled Oscillations 397
13 Continuous Systems; Waves435
14 Special Theory of Relativity461
iii
,iv CONTENTS
, @SOLUTIONSSTYDY
Preface
This Instructor’s Manual contains the solutions to all the end-of-chapter problems
(but not the appendices) from Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems, Fifth
Edition, by Stephen T. Thornton and Jerry B. Marion. It is intended for use only by
instructors using Classical Dynamics as a textbook, and it is not available to students
in any form. A Student Solutions Manual containing solutions to about 25% of the
end-of-chapter problems is available for sale to students. The problem numbers of
those solutions in the Student Solutions Manual are listed on the next page.
As a result of surveys received from users, I continue to add more worked out
examples in the text and add additional problems. There are now 509 problems, a
significant number over the 4th edition.
The instructor will find a large array of problems ranging in difficulty from the
simple “plug and chug” to the type worthy of the Ph.D. qualifying examinations in
classical mechanics. A few of the problems are quite challenging. Many of them require
numerical methods. Having this solutions manual should provide a greater
appreciation of what the authors intended to accomplish by the statement of the
problem in those cases where the problem statement is not completely clear. Please
inform me when either the problem statement or solutions can be improved. Specific
help is encouraged. The instructor will also be able to pick and choose different levels
of difficulty when assigning homework problems. And since students may occasionally
need hints to work some problems, this manual will allow the instructor to take a
quick peek to see how the students can be helped.
It is absolutely forbidden for the students to have access to this manual.
Please do not give students solutions from this manual. Posting these solutions on the
Internet will result in widespread distribution of the solutions and will ultimately
result in the decrease of the usefulness of the text.
The author would like to acknowledge the assistance of Tran ngoc Khanh (5th
edition), Warren Griffith (4th edition), and Brian Giambattista (3rd edition), who
checked the solutions of previous versions, went over user comments, and worked out
solutions for new problems.
Without their help, this manual would not be possible. The author would appreciate
receiving reports of suggested improvements and suspected errors. Comments can be
sent by email to , the more detailed the better.
Stephen T. Thornton
Charlottesville, Virginia
v
