Mechanics

Mechanics is the branch of physics that studies motion, forces, and the equilibrium of bodies. It includes classical and quantum descriptions of physical systems.

Newton's laws of motion: Three laws relating an object's motion to applied forces and defining inertial motion. They connect force to changes in motion in classical mechanics.
Lagrangian mechanics: A formulation of classical mechanics based on a system's kinetic and potential energies. It derives equations of motion while handling constraints through generalized coordinates.
Statics: The study of forces and torques in systems at rest or in equilibrium. It applies mechanics to bodies whose acceleration is zero.
Quantum mechanics: The theory describing physical systems at atomic and subatomic scales through quantum states and probabilities. Classical mechanics fails to account for characteristic microscopic phenomena such as quantized energy.
Force: An interaction that can change an object's motion or deform it. Forces are the central causes of acceleration and equilibrium conditions.
Hamiltonian mechanics: A formulation of mechanics using generalized coordinates and momenta with a Hamiltonian function. It recasts dynamics in phase space and bridges classical and quantum theory.
Dynamics: The study of how forces affect the motion of physical systems. It focuses on the changing motion that distinguishes moving systems from statics.
Relativistic mechanics: The study of motion and dynamics consistent with special relativity. It replaces Newtonian mechanics when speeds approach the speed of light.
Mass: A property of matter that quantifies inertia and, in gravity, contributes to gravitational interaction. Mass determines how strongly an object resists acceleration under a given force.
Hamilton's principle: The principle that physical motion makes the action stationary among nearby paths with fixed endpoints. It supplies a compact route to the equations of Lagrangian mechanics.

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