Getting the most action out of least action: A proposal

Lagrangian methods lie at the foundation of contemporary theoretical physics. Several recent articles have explored the possibility of making the principle of least action and Lagrangian methods a part of the first-year physics curriculum. I examine some of this proposal’s implications for subsequent courses in the undergraduate physics major, and focus on the influence that this proposal might have on the selection of topics and the opportunities this proposal presents for teaching these courses in a more contemporary way. Many of these ideas are relevant even if students first learn Lagrangian methods in a sophomore mechanics course. © 2004 American Association of Physics Teachers. DOI: 10.1119/1.1646133 I