Analytical Dynamics

Fall 2015 - Assignment 4 solutions

1.
Were dealing with a central potential, so we can always choose a coordinate system
where the azimuthal equations are trivial. This reduces the Lagrangian to:
k
L = 12 m(r! 2 + r 2! 2 ) + e r/a
r
Energy and angular momentum are conserved:
d
dt

l2
k
E = mr! +
e r/a ,
2
r
2mr

mr ! l! = 0
2

1
2

So we obtain from the above:

2
m

dr
E (l 2 /2mr 2 ) + (k/r)e r/a

= 0 +

l
2m

= dt = (mr 2 /l)d

E l + k e r/a

2mr 2 r

dr
r2

1/2

Now since: e r/a = 1 r/a +O(r 2 /a 2 ) ,

To first order in r/a, defining

E (k/a) and taking

l
2m

dr
r2

l + k

2mr 2 r

= 0 we have:

1/2

Which is now reduced to the Kepler problem; the result can be expressed as:
r=

a(1 e 2 )
,
1 +e cos

k
2l 2
, e 1+
,
2
mk 2

Where e < 1 for elliptic orbits; a circular orbit corresponds to:

k mk 2
e =0E = 2 .
a
2l
2.
From Homework 1, problem 3 we know that at the boundary:

V
sin
= 1+ 0 = n
sin
E

Physically, the situation is such as in the following diagram:

From which we immediately get:

= 12 + sin = sin( 12 + ) = sin 12 cos + cos 12 sin ,

or: n 1 = sin 12 cot + cos 12

We also see that: s = a sin . Substituting in the above and solving for s:
an sin 12
s=
,
1 + n 2 2n cos 12
From which we obtain:

sin 2 12
ds
ds 2
d
= 12
= 12 (an)2
d
d
d 1 + n 2 2n cos 12
=

(an)2 sin 12
2

2[1 + n 2n cos

= sin 12

1
2

{cos (1 + n
]
2

1
2

2n cos 12 n sin 2 12

(an)2(n cos 12 1)(n cos 12 )

2[1 + n 2 2n cos 12 ]2

(an)2(n cos 12 1)(n cos 12 )

s ds
() =
=
sin d
4 cos 12 [1 + n 2 2n cos 12 ]2
Extreme values correspond to = 0 and = 12 , so that min = 0,

n 1 = cos 12 max ;

Defining y cos 12 dy = 12 sin 12 d ,

We obtain for the total cross-section:
T = 2

max
0

()sin d = 2(an)2

1/n

(ny 1)(n y)
dy
(1 + n 2 2ny)2

Or, with a final substitution x 1 + n 2 2ny dx = 2ndy :

n 2 1

n 2 1

[(n 2 1)2 x 2 1]dx = 14 a 2 (n 2 1)2 x 1 + x 2 = a 2 .

(n1)
(n1)2

T = 14 a 2