Generalized Hamiltonian dynamics

Abstract The author’s procedure for passing from the Lagrangian to the Hamiltonian when the momenta are not independent functions of the velocities is put into a simpler and more practical form, the main results being obtained by a direct solution of the equations provided by the consistency requirements. It is shown how, under certain conditions, one can eliminate some of the degrees of freedom and so make a substantial simplification in the Hamiltonian formalism.