Article
Article
Action
Article By:
Goodman, Bernard Department of Physics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Last reviewed:August 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.009200
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- Action, published January 2014:Download PDF
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Any one of a number of related integral quantities which serve as the basis for general formulations of the dynamics of both classical and quantum-mechanical systems. The term "action" has been associated with four quantities: the fundamental action S, for general paths of a dynamical system; the classical action SC, for the actual path; the modified action S′, for paths restricted to a particular energy; and action variables, for periodic motions. See also: Classical mechanics; Motion; Quantum mechanics
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