Particle Dynamics or Equivalent Problems

• Particles are sets of entities -- sometimes fixed (atoms in a crystal) or sometimes moving (galaxies in a universe)

• They are characterized by force Fij on particle i due to particle j

• Forces are characterized by their range r: Fij(xi,xj) is zero if distance |xi-xj| greater than r

• Examples:

  • The universe
  • A globular star cluster
  • The atoms in a crystal vibrating under interatomic forces
  • Molecules in a protein rotating and flexing under interatomic force

• Laws of Motion are typically ordinary differential equations

  • Ordinary means differentiate wrt one variable -- typically time

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