Mechanics

It is a branch of science dealing with the behaviour of physical bodies when subjected to forces and displacements, and the effect of the bodies on their environment. It has several 2 branches 1. Classical Mechanics 2. Quantum Mechanics

I. Classical Mechanics It deals with(kinematics) and the mechanical behaviour of macroscopic bodies To study classical mechanics we use 2 techniques a. Continuum Mechanics b. Statistical Mechanics The mathematical formulations involve(positions, momentum evolve in space and time by) Newtons mechanics Lagrangian mechanics Hamiltonian Mechanics The Physics remains the same in all three. It is just different ways of looking at the same problem suited to what system you are looking. The last two are grouped into Analytical Mechanics. - For CM, Newtons mechanics is extensively used. - For SM, Lagrangian and hamiltonian Mechanics is extensively used. a. Continuum Mechanics(CM) - In here materials are modelled as a continuous mass rather than as discrete particles. In here, an object is modelled in such a way, that the substance that constitutes the object fills the space occupied by it. These techniques are used in fluid and solid mechanics. 1. Therefore it ignores the fact that matter is actually made up of atoms, which are discrete, but at the length scales much larger than the interatomic distances( ~ 10 nm), this model gives highly accurate results. 2. To use these models(i.e. to quantify it), we use Tensors. Tensors are mathematical objects which are independent of the coordinate system in which the object is represented. This is essential because CM deals with the physical properties of the object which are independent of the coordinate system. 3. Scales of operation Microscale - QM Mesoscale - Statistical Volume Element. Macroscale - Representative Volume Element b. Statistical Mechanics(SM) - In here materials are treated as having discrete particles, due to the length scales it operates in(~ 10nm). It is used to study the thermodynamic behaviour of systems, by providing a framework for relating microscopic properties of individual atoms and molecules with the bulk properties that can be observed in everyday life. And how does it do that? - by utilizing the principles of probability theory.

1. It basically provides a molecular level interpretation of thermodynamical properties such as - pressure, heat, work, entropy. The laws of Thermodynamics can be derived from SM. 2. Objective - To calculate the distribution of a given amount of energy(E) over N particles in a system. 3. Goal - To understand and interpret macroscopic properties of materials in terms of the properties of their constituent particles and the interactions between them 4. How? - Connect Thermodynamic functions with quantum-mechanical equations(this is essentially done via the 2nd law, where entropy connects the two realms)

II. Quantum Mechanics It deals with physical phenomena at the microscopic scale. It has action at the order of Plancks constant(h). It departs from classical mechanics in the realm of atomic and subatomic distances. The mathematical formulation of Quantum Mechanics are abstract. It defines something called a wave function which describes the properties of matter, probabilistically. It treats the object as a quantum harmonic oscillator, due to which it starkly departs from classical mechanics. The main thing being At the ground state - CM - Object has zero energy(which make sense) QM - Object has non-zero energy The wavefunction is evolves in space and time by the Schrodinger equation.