CHP 7 Problems

PHYS 311 HW 4
Solution Manual
Shuting Zhang
March 1, 2015
1. 6.17 - 16 points
Find the geodesics on the cone whose equation in cylindrical polar coordinates is x = .
In cylindrical polar coordinates the distance element is
s
p
d
2
2
2
2
dl = d + d + dz = 2 ( )2 + 2 + 1d
d
So the distance between two points is
Z
Z p
Z
L = dl =
2 02 + 2 + 1d = f (, 0 , )d
The Euler-Lagrange equation is
d f
f
=
0
d
So we have
d
2 0
p
=0
d 2 02 + 2 + 1
2 0
p
=c
2 02 + 2 + 1
where c is a constant. Therefore
s
0
=
=
c(2 + 1)
2 (2 c)
p
1 + 2 arccos(0 /) + 0
cos(( 0 )/ 1 + 2 )
where 0 , 0 are constants. When = 0, =
0
cos(0 ) ,
which is a line in the plain.
2. Consider the surface of a cylinder with radius, R. A coordinate may be thus described by (, z), as
shown:
(a) - 16 points
Take two points near one another, at a position, (, z), and at ( + d, z + dz). What is the
distance, dl between them?
(b) Let us suppose we are trying to wind a string around the cylinder such that we may specify:
z = z()
as a unique function. What is the length of a piece of string needed to wind from 1 to 2 in
terms of z()?
Your answer should be in integral form, and 1) Should only be an integral over , and 2) Should
include z 0 = dz/d.
(c) Your answer to the previous part should take the form:
Z
L = df (z, z 0 )
where f (z, z 0 ) is a function that you determined as part of your answer. Use the Euler-Lagrange
equation to find a relationship for z 0 as a function of that minimizes the length of string needed.
(a)
dl =
p
R2 d2 + dz 2
(b)The length of a piece of string is

Z
L=
dl =
Z p
R2 + z 02 d
(c)Here we have
Z
L=
where f (z, z 0 ) =
df (z, z 0 )
R2 + z 02
The Euler-Lagrange equation is

d f
f
=
d z 0
z
So we have
z0
=c
R2 + z 02
Therefore
z0 =
cR
1 c2
z=
cR
+ z0
1 c2
where c1 and c2 are constants.

3. 7.3 - 16 points
Consider a mass m moving in two dimensions with potential U (x, y) = 12 kr2 , Write down the Lagrangian and find the two Lagrange equations of motion. Describe the solutions.
The Lagrangian is
L=T U =
1
1
m(x 2 + y 2 ) k(x2 + y 2 )
2
2
The two Lagrange equations are

m
x + kx = 0
m
y + ky = 0
The solutions are
x = x0 cos(t + 1 )
y = y0 cos(t + 2 )
p
where = m
k , x0 ,y0 ,1 ,2 are constants. Therefore the mass oscillates around the origin in x and y
components.
4. 7.8 - 18 points
(a)Write down the Lagrangian L(x1 , x2 , x 1 , x 2 ) for two particles of equal masses confined to x axis and
connected by a spring with potential energy U = 12 kx2 . (b)Rewrite L in terms of the new variables
X = 12 (x1 + x2 ) and x = x1 x2 l, and write down the two Lagrange equations for X and x. (c)Solve
for X(t) and x(t) and describe the motion.
(a)The Lagrangian is
1
1
m(x 21 + x 22 ) k(x1 x2 l)2
2
2
L=T U =
(b)Since
1
(x1 + x2 )
2
x = x1 x2 l
X=
Therefore
1
(2X + x + l)
2
1
x2 = (2X x l)
2
x1 =
So the Lagrangian becomes

L=
1
1
m(4X 2 + x 2 ) kx2
4
2
Therefore the Lagrange equations are

=0
X
2k
x
+
x=0
m
(c)The solutions of the equations are
X =V0 t + X0
r
x =x0 cos(
2k
t + 0 )
m
The CM of the system does uniform linear motion or stays at rest. And the two masses do harmonic
oscillation about the CM.
5. - 14 points
(This is a 1 star, just to get you warmed up.) Consider a particle of mass, m, moving in 1-d under the
potential:
U = cos(kx)
where and k are positive constants.
(a) Write down the Lagrangian for the system.
(b) Write the Euler-Lagrange equations.
(a)
L=
1
mx 2 cos(kx)
2
(b)
m
x = k sin kx
6. - 20 points
Consider a small marble of mass, m, rolling around in a parabolic bowl with a curvature given by:
y=
r2
R
where R is a fixed scale, and r is the radial distance from the central axis, as shown here:
(a) Write down down the Lagrangian of the system as a function of r, (the angle around the bowl),
and their derivatives. You may need to do a little work to get the gravitational potential energy
correct.
(b) Write and simplify the Euler-Lagrange equations.
(c) Under what conditions (if any) will the marble move in a circular orbit around the bowl?
(a)The kinetic energy is
T =
1
4r2 r 2
1
m(r 2 + r2 2 + y 2 ) = m(r 2 + r2 2 +
)
2
2
R2
And the potential energy is

U = mgy =
mgr2
R
Therefore the Lagrangian is

L=T U =
1
4r2 r 2
mgr2
m(r 2 + r2 2 +
)
2
2
R
R
(b)We have
L
4mr2 r
= mr +
r
R2
d L
4mr2 r 8mrr
+
= m
r+
dt r
R2
R2
L
2mgr
4mrr
= mr 2 +
2
r
R
R
And
d L
= mr2 + 2mrr
dt
L
=0
Therefore the Lagrange equations are

r(1 +
4r2 r
2gr
4r2
)
+
r 2 +
=0
2
2
R
R
R
r2 + 2rr =0
(c)If the marble moves in a circular orbit, r = r = 0. Therefore

r 2 +
2gr
=0
R
r
=
2g
R2

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PHYS 311 HW 4

where c is a constant. Therefore

where 0 , 0 are constants. When = 0, =

which is a line in the plain.

(b)The length of a piece of string is

The Euler-Lagrange equation is

where c1 and c2 are constants.

The two Lagrange equations are

So the Lagrangian becomes

Therefore the Lagrange equations are

And the potential energy is

Therefore the Lagrangian is

Therefore the Lagrange equations are

(c)If the marble moves in a circular orbit, r = r = 0. Therefore

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