PPT Slide

Here v is the velocity (the first derivative of x wrt time)

and x is the position

The partial derivative of L wrt v is known as the

“generalized momentum” and will often be just the

derivative of the KE wrt v!

Be careful, though! We are only in one dimension

and we must be careful about how the vector information

gets in there

Remember:

Partial derivatives work only on explicit dependence

Total derivatives work on both explicit and implicit