Configuration space

In analytical mechanics, the configuration space is the generalised 6N coordinate space of the position and velocity of a mechanical system described by the Lagrange equations.

There are therefore 3N position coordinates and 3N velocity coordinates. The dot denotes the total derivative of the preceding coordinate with respect to time, i.e. .

From the configuration space a space allowing a more powerful formulation of the equations of mechanics can be built. This is the phase space of Hamilton equations.