PHYSICS 110A : CLASSICAL MECHANICS

HW 6 SOLUTIONS

(1) Taylor 7.38

a
r

Figure 1: Figure for 7.38.

The kinetic energy will be:
T =

1 2 1 2 2 2
mr + mr sin .
2
2

And the potential energy will be:

U = mgr cos .
So our Lagrangian is:
1
1
L = mr 2 + mr 2 sin2 2 mgr cos .
2
2
From the Euler-Lagrange equations we get:
r = r sin2 2 g cos .
And:

(1)

d h 2 2 i
mr sin = lz .
dt

Where lz is a constant we know as the angular momentum in the z-direction. Solving for
z
we have = mr2 lsin
2 . Lets plug this into equation (1) to get:
r =

lz2
g cos .
m2 r 3 sin2

(2)

To find the equilibrium position we set r = 0 in equation (2) above. Therefore:

s
l2
r0 = 3 2
.
m g sin2 cos

(3)

Finally we want to expand for small oscillations r = r0 + . So we have:

=
Or:
=

Or:
=

lz2
g cos .
m2 (r0 + )3 sin2

lz2
g cos .
m2 r03 (1 + r0 )3 sin2

lz2

2 (1 3 r + ...) g cos .
3
2
m r0 sin
0

But due to equation (3) we have:

=

3lz2
.
m2 r04 sin2

Where we have the equation for simple harmonic motion with =

3lz
.
mr02 sin

(2) Taylor 7.39

For the Lagrangian we get:
i
1 h 2
2 2
2
2 2
L = m r + r + r sin U (r).
2
Which lead to the equations of motion:
m
r=
and,

and,

dU (r)
+ (mr 2 + mr sin2 2 ),
dr

(4)

d
= 0,
[mr 2 sin2 ]
dt

(5)

d
= 2mr 2 sin cos 2 .
[mr 2 ]
dt

(6)

Equation (4) is Newtons second law with the force from potential term dUdr(r) as well as
a centrifugal force term mr 2 + mr sin2 2 .

Equation (5) shows that the lz is conserved.

Equation (6) shows that the l is conserved, however since the vector is constantly changing the right hand side is not zero.

For 0 = /2 and 0 = 0 we have from equation (6):

d
= 0.
[mr 2 ]
dt
Or,

mr 2 = C.

So remains /2 and the object will remain in that plane.

For 0 = 0 and 0 = 0 we have from equation (5):
mr 2 sin2 = C,
So remains 0 and the object will remain in that vertical plane.

(3) Taylor 7.41

Our parabola has the shape:
z = k2 .
Which gives us a relationship between and z:

z = 2k.

For the Lagrangian we get:

L=

1
1
1
m 2 + m2 2 + mz 2 mgz.
2
2
2

Which we can plug the above constraints to get:

1
1
L = m 2 + m2 2 + 2mk2 2 2 mgk2 .
2
2
Which cleans up to look like:
1
1
L = m(1 + 4k2 2 )2 + m( 2 2gk)2 .
2
2
Finding the equation of motion we get:

Or:


d 
m(1 + 4k2 2 ) = m[ 2 2gk] + 4mk2 2 .
dt
(1 + 4k2 2 )
+ 4k2 2 = [ 2 2gk].

(7)

Assuming 0 = 0 equilibrium will occur when the right hand side is zero, so for = 0 and
2 = 2gk.
Now for small and we can rewrite equation (7) as:
[ 2 2gk].
So this force is similar to a spring force of the shape F = kx. Now when 2gk > 2 the k
constant is negative and it is a restoring force. For 2gk < 2 the k constant is positive and
it is not a restoring force

(4) Taylor 7.50

For the Lagrangian we get:

x
m1
y

m2

Figure 2: Figure for 7.50.

1
1
L = m1 x 2 + m2 y 2 + m2 gy.
2
2
And our equation of constraint is:
f = x + y l.
From this our Lagrange multiplier equation leads us to:
m1 x
= ,

(8)

m2 y m2 g = .

(9)

and
From our constraint equation we get:
x
=
y.

Solving for we get,

=

m1 m2 g
.
m1 + m2

If we were to look at this with Newtons second law we would get two equations:
T = m1 ax ,
and,
m2 g T = m2 a.
Comparing with equations above we see = T .

(5) Taylor 7.51

x
y

Figure 3: Figure for 7.51.

L=

1
1
mx 2 + my 2 + mgy.
2
2

And our equation of constraint is:

f=

x2 + y 2 l.

From this our Lagrange multiplier equation leads us to:

and

m
x = p

x
x2

+ y2

m
y mg = p

y
x2 + y 2

(10)

(11)

Now calling the angle from the vertical we can rewrite these as:
m
x = sin,

(12)

and
m
y mg = cos.
Writing out equations from Newtons second law we get:
m
x = T sin,
and
m
y = T cos + mg.
So we see = T .
If we were to use the constraint equation:
f = x2 + y 2 l 2 .
We get for our equations of motion:
m
x = 2x,
and
m
y mg = 2y.
Getting rid of in the equations (12) and (13) we get:
m
xy
= m
y mg,
x
Which is exactly what you get getting rid of lambda in equations (10)and (11).

(13)