Basic Theoretical Physics: A Concise Overview P9. This concise treatment embraces, in four parts, all the main aspects of theoretical physics (I . Mechanics and Basic Relativity, II. Electrodynamics and Aspects of Optics, III. Non-relativistic Quantum Mechanics, IV. Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics). It summarizes the material that every graduate student, physicist working in industry, or physics teacher should master during his or her degree course. It thus serves both as an excellent revision and preparation tool, and as a convenient reference source, covering the whole of theoretical physics. It may also be successfully employed to deepen its readers’ insight and. | Steiner s Theorem Heavy Roller Physical Pendulum 75 We should mention in this context that modifications of this problem frequently appear in written examination questions in particular the problem of the transition from rolling motion down an inclined segment to a subsequent horizontal motion . on a horizontal plane segment and we also mention the difference between gliding and rolling motions see below . As an additional problem we should also mention the physical pendulum as opposed to the mathematical pendulum . a point mass suspended from a weightless thread or rod on which we concentrated previously. The physical pendulum or compound pendulum is represented by a rigid body which is suspended from an axis around which it can rotate. The center of mass is at a distance s from the axis of rotation such that C T -V 1 Gid2 - Mgs 1 - cos i . Here M is the mass of the body and G e s Ms2 is the moment of inertia of the rigid body . the axis of rotation. The oscillation eigenfrequency for small-amplitude oscillations is therefore - V lred where the so-called reduced length of the pendulum lred is obtained from the following identity i G red Ms . At this point we shall mention a remarkable physical non-event occurring at the famous Gothic cathedral in Cologne. The towers of the medieval cathedral were completed in the nineteenth century and political representatives planned to highlight the completion by ringing the so-called Emperor s Bell which was a very large and powerful example of the best technology of the time. The gigantic bell suspended from the interior of one of the towers was supposed to provide acoustical proof of the inauguration ceremony for the towers. But at the ceremony the bell failed to produce a sound since the clapper in spite of heavy activity of the ringing machinery never actually struck the outer mantle of the bell3. This disastrous misconstruction can of course be attributed to the fact that the angle of deflection i1 t of .
