Poisson bracket


Poisson bracket

[pwä′sōn‚brak·ət] (mechanics) For any two dynamical variables, X and Y, the sum, over all degrees of freedom of the system, of (∂ X /∂ q)(∂ Y /∂ p)-(∂ X /∂ p)(∂ Y /∂ q), where q is a generalized coordinate and p is the corresponding generalized momentum.