New posts in Variational Principle

Is it possible to prove that planets should be approximately spherical using the calculus of variations?

Geodesics equations via variational principle

D'Alembert's Principle: Necessity of virtual displacements

Derivation of the Polyakov Action

How to derive Maxwell's equations from the electromagnetic Lagrangian?

Optics: Derivation of $\vec\nabla{n} = \frac{d(n\hat{u})}{ds}$

Is the principle of least action a boundary value or initial condition problem?

Why can't any term which is added to the Lagrangian be written as a total derivative (or divergence)?

Hydrostatic friction: why do water droplets stay at rest on an inclined glass surface?

Must the action be a Lorentz scalar?