Difference between revisions of "Lagrangian"
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The general idea behind the Lagrangian is to divorce the dynamical system from any specific coordinate system. | The general idea behind the Lagrangian is to divorce the dynamical system from any specific coordinate system. | ||
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Revision as of 15:08, July 13, 2016
The Lagrangian of a dynamical system is a function used to describe the dynamics of that system. In classical mechanics, the general definition of the Lagrangian is a function used to describe the difference between the kinetic and potential energies of a dynamical system:
<math>L=T-V</math>
where <math>T</math> is the kinetic energy and <math>V</math> is the potential energy.
The Lagrangian of a system can be used in the Euler-Lagrange equation in order to derive the equations of motion for the system.
The general idea behind the Lagrangian is to divorce the dynamical system from any specific coordinate system.