could someone explain what the principle of least action is and why it works?
2006-12-24 10:41:55 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The principle of least action is the what gives us a systematic way of doing classical mechanics. This boils down to doing a path integral and looking for the minimum path. This ends up being the stationary points of the path, and is found to be the Lagrangian, which is the kinetic energy minus the potential energy. Then you apply the Euler-Lagrange formula to obtain the equations of motion. The reason for using the Lagrangian, which is Kinetic - Potential Energy does not look clear from classical mechanics, but is found to be the path of constructive interference in quantum mechanics.
2006-12-24 11:33:27 · answer #1 · answered by Chido 36 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's when you say, "Honey, as long as you are up anyway, could you get me a glass of water?" It works because Honey doesn't feel it's all that big an imposition as long as he/she was going that way anyway.
But somehow I don't think that's what you meant.
2006-12-24 10:50:18 · answer #2 · answered by auntb93again 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe something on here will help to answer your question, just click on it and go through it.
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=principle%20of%20least%20action
2006-12-24 10:45:34 · answer #3 · answered by junkmail 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wkikpedia answers this best - see link
2006-12-24 14:53:40 · answer #4 · answered by Andy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋