Chapter 4: Hamiltonian Mechanics

Yet another alternative approach to classical mechanics, Hamiltonian Mechanics, is formulated in terms of a function — the Hamilton function H — that is closely related to the total mechanical energy of the system. Because of the paramount importance of the concept of energy in physics in general, Hamiltonian Mechanics is particularly well suited for going beyond classical mechanics. Indeed, the formulation of quantum mechanics as conceived in the 1920s by Heisenberg and Schrödinger, in particular, was strongly influenced by Hamiltonian mechanics.