- Calculation of move- ment through energy
- Numerical solution of
the Lagrangian
equations - Simpler models in comparison to Newton-II for more complex force relationships
The usual method to solve mechanical problems is the power approach. For certain more complex problems, such as the double pendulum, however, this method is pushed to its limits and the problem becomes unsolvable without deeper mathematical knowledge.
Through the immediate numerical calculation and graphical representation of the solution, Lagrange makes it very easy to get an overview of the behavior of mechanical systems.
Details
At school, one learns quite early about energy, its forms, and the conservation of energy as a fundamental principle in physics. The Lagrangian formalism, which requires only the kinetic and potential energies and typical specification of parameters, can very easily and elegantly find solutions to mechanical problems. The formalism, however, is mathematically demanding, and most students are not able to understand it. With the help of this program, such calculations can be performed numerically in a very intuitive way. This makes the connection between energy and resulting movement clear.