Hi, I want to respond to a post from you from 2019. (That 2019 thread no longer offers the reply button, otherwise I would reply there of course.) I apologize for using this thread to get my message in.
This is the item I want to respond to: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19768492 When you took a Classical Mechanics course you were puzzled by the form of the Lagrangian: L = T - V
I have created a resource for the purpose of making application of calculus of variations in mechanics transparent. As part of that the form of the Lagrangian L=T-V is explained.
This is the item I want to respond to: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19768492 When you took a Classical Mechanics course you were puzzled by the form of the Lagrangian: L = T - V
I have created a resource for the purpose of making application of calculus of variations in mechanics transparent. As part of that the form of the Lagrangian L=T-V is explained.
http://cleonis.nl/physics/phys256/calculus_variations.php
http://cleonis.nl/physics/phys256/energy_position_equation.p...
I recognize the 'you are certainly entitled to ask why' quote, it's from the book 'Classical Mechanics' by John Taylor.
Here's the thing: there is a good answer to the 'why' question. Once you know that answer things become transparent, and any wall is gone.