AaS! 181: What is the Principle of Least Action?

Ask a Spaceman!

What makes the principle of least action so important? Who came up with it? Is it all just a bunch of math or does it actually mean something? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman!

Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books

Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE!

Big thanks to my top Patreon supporters this month: Justin G, Chris L, Barbara K, Duncan M, Corey D, Justin Z, Nate H, Andrew F, Naila, Scott M, Rob H, Justin, Louis M, Paul G, John W, Alexis, Erin J, Jennifer M, Gilbert M, Joshua, Bob H, John S, Thomas D, Michael R, Simon G,David B, Frank T, Tim R, Tom Van S, Mark R, Alan B, Craig B, Richard K, Steve P, Dave L, Stephen M, Maureen R, Stace J, Neil P, COTFM, Stephen S, Ken L, Alberto M, Matt C, Joe R, David P, Ulfert B, Sean M, Edward K, Darren W, Tracy F, Sarah K, Steven S, Ryan L, Ella F, Richard S, Sam R, Thomas K, James C, Jorg D, R Larche, Syamkumar M, John S, Fred S, Homer V, Mark D, Colin B, Bruce A, Steven M, Brent B, Bill E, Tim Z, Thomas W, Linda C, David W, Aissa F, Marc H, Avery P, Scott M, Thomas H, Farshad A, Matthias S, Kenneth D, Maureen R, Michael W, Scott W, David W, Neuterdude, Cha0sKami, Robert C, Matthew K, Robert B, Gary K, Stephen J, dhr18, Anna V, Johanna M, Matthew G, Paul & Giulia S, Ron D, Steven M, Louis M, Michael C, Alyssa K, Lode D, Roger, Bob C, Patti H, Red B, Benjamin M, BlueDragon, Stephen A, Ian S, James R, Skip M, and Robert O!

Thanks to Cathy Rinella for editing.

Hosted by Paul M. Sutter, astrophysicist and the one and only Agent to the Stars (http://www.pmsutter.com).

More description

What makes the principle of least action so important? Who came up with it? Is it all just a bunch of math or does it actually mean something? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman!

Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books

Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE!

Big thanks to my top Patreon supporters this month: Justin G, Chris L, Barbara K, Duncan M, Corey D, Justin Z, Nate H, Andrew F, Naila, Scott M, Rob H, Justin, Louis M, Paul G, John W, Alexis, Erin J, Jennifer M, Gilbert M, Joshua, Bob H, John S, Thomas D, Michael R, Simon G,David B, Frank T, Tim R, Tom Van S, Mark R, Alan B, Craig B, Richard K, Steve P, Dave L, Stephen M, Maureen R, Stace J, Neil P, COTFM, Stephen S, Ken L, Alberto M, Matt C, Joe R, David P, Ulfert B, Sean M, Edward K, Darren W, Tracy F, Sarah K, Steven S, Ryan L, Ella F, Richard S, Sam R, Thomas K, James C, Jorg D, R Larche, Syamkumar M, John S, Fred S, Homer V, Mark D, Colin B, Bruce A, Steven M, Brent B, Bill E, Tim Z, Thomas W, Linda C, David W, Aissa F, Marc H, Avery P, Scott M, Thomas H, Farshad A, Matthias S, Kenneth D, Maureen R, Michael W, Scott W, David W, Neuterdude, Cha0sKami, Robert C, Matthew K, Robert B, Gary K, Stephen J, dhr18, Anna V, Johanna M, Matthew G, Paul & Giulia S, Ron D, Steven M, Louis M, Michael C, Alyssa K, Lode D, Roger, Bob C, Patti H, Red B, Benjamin M, BlueDragon, Stephen A, Ian S, James R, Skip M, and Robert O!

Thanks to Cathy Rinella for editing.

Hosted by Paul M. Sutter, astrophysicist and the one and only Agent to the Stars (http://www.pmsutter.com).

2022-08-02 36 min
Listen elsewhere

Available Results

Generated results are saved to your library for reuse and search.

No generated results are available for this episode yet.

Transcript

No transcript is available for this episode yet.
Sign in to generate a transcript for review.
Sign in

Chapters

No chapters available.