Leonhard Euler's “principle of mechanics” (an essay on the foundations of the equations of motion)

Leonhard Euler derived equations of motion for both (in modern terminology) point mass mechanics and analytic mechanics. In order to derive the equations, some dynamic premise has to be introduced; this is the “principle of mechanics”. It stems from the recognition that infinitesimal motions are uni...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Penha Maria Cardozo Dias
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Física
Series:Revista Brasileira de Ensino de Física
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-11172017000400701&lng=en&tlng=en
Description
Summary:Leonhard Euler derived equations of motion for both (in modern terminology) point mass mechanics and analytic mechanics. In order to derive the equations, some dynamic premise has to be introduced; this is the “principle of mechanics”. It stems from the recognition that infinitesimal motions are uniformly accelerated. Then, using Galileo Galilei's theorem on the fall, mathematical relations among differentials acquire physical meaning, and become the “principle of mechanics”.
ISSN:1806-9126