Chapter 3

Lagrangian Mechanics

Module 4

Applications of

Lagrange’s equations of motion

1
Example 1: Find the Lagrange’s equation of motion of a simple pendulum

Here,  is the generalized coordinate. The velocity of the ball is l acting
perpendicular to OP where l is the length of the string of the pendulum (see, Fig.3.1). A
simple pendulum oscillating in a vertical plane constitute a conservative holonomic
dynamical system.

Fig.3.1

1 2 2
Here, Kinetic Energy = T  ml  , m is the mass of the ball.
2

Potential Energy = V  mgh  mgl (1  cos ) .

1
Therefore, Lagrangian of the system = L  T  V  ml 2 2  mgl (1  cos  ) .
2

d  L  L
Lagrange’s equation of motion is    0 or, ml 2  mgl sin   0
dt    

2
 g g
Or, ml 2  mgl sin  or,    sin     (if the amplitude of oscillation is small
l l
then  is small and so sin    ).

l
Time period is given by 2 , g is the acceleration due to gravity.
g

Example 2: For a dynamical system Lagrangian is given by

L
2

1 2
x  y 2  z 2   V ( x, y, z )  Ax  By  Cz where A, B, C are functions of  x, y, z  .
Show that Lagrange’s equations of motion are

 A B   A C  V
x  y 
    z     0 and similar ones.
 y x   z x  x

Here, x, y, z are the generalized coordinates.

d  L  L
Lagrange’s equation of motion corresponding to x-coordinate is   0
dt  x  x

V A B C
 x  A    x  y  z   0
d
Or,
dt  x x x x 

dA V A B C
x
Or,    x  y  z  0
dt x x x x

 A B   A C  V dA A A A
x  y 
Or,     z     0 since  x  y  z .
 y x   z x  x dt x y z

Similarly two other Lagrange’s equations of motion corresponding to y and z coordinates

can be obtained.

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Example 3: Obtain the Lagrangian and also the Lagrange’s equation of motion of a
harmonic oscillator.

A harmonic oscillator consists of a single particle of mass m moving in a straight

line which can be taken as x-axis (see Fig.3.2). The particle is attracted towards the origin
by a force which varies proportionally with the distance of the particle from the origin.

Fig.3.2

1 2
Then the Kinetic Energy of the harmonic oscillator is given by T  mx whereas the
2
1 2
Potential Energy is given by V  kx , k being a constant.
2

1 1
Then the Lagrangian of the motion is L  T  V  mx 2  kx 2 .
2 2

d  L  L
Lagrange’s equation of motion is    0 or, mx  kx  0 .
dt  x  x

Example 4: Find the Lagrangian of motion of a particle of unit mass moving in a

central force field under a force that varies inversely as the square of the distance from
the centre O.

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 Fig.3.3

Here r , are the generalized coordinates. Let V be the potential.

dV  
Then,   F   2 which on integration gives V    Constant
dr r r

T  Kinetic Energy of the particle =

2

1 2 2 2
r  r  . 
1 2 2 2 
The Lagrangian of the motion is L  T  V 
2
 
r  r    Constant .
r

d  L  L
Lagrange’s equation of motion is    0, e  1, 2
dt  qe  qe

Here, q1  r , q2   .

Lagrange’s equation of motion corresponding to r -coordinate gives

d  L  L d  
    0 or,  r   r2  2  0 or, r  r2  2  0
dt  r  r dt r r
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 d  L  L
and  
dt    
 0 or,
d 2
dt
 
r   0 which gives r 2  constant

Example 5: Obtain the Lagrange’s equations of motion for a spherical pendulum

Spherical pendulum is a simple pendulum which can move throughout the space
about the point of suspension and its bob is on the surface of a sphere of radius equal to
the length of the pendulum.

Let m be the mass of the bob and l be the length of the string of the pendulum. Let
P (r , ,  ) be the position of the bob at time t. Here r  l and so  ,  are the generalized
coordinates.

   
Kinetic Energy = T  m  l  l sin     ml 2 2  sin 2  2 
1 1
2 2

2   2

and Potential Energy =V= mgh  mgl 1  cos      mgl 1  cos   .

Therefore, Lagrangian of the system is

1
 
L  T  V  ml 2 2  sin 2  2  mgl 1  cos   .
2

Lagrange’s  -equation of motion is

d  L  L
   0 or, ml 2  ml 2 sin  cos2  mgl sin   0
dt    

d  L  L
and Lagrange’s  -equation of motion is   0 or,
dt    

k
ml 2 sin 2   constant=k (say) or,   .
ml sin 2 
2

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 Fig.3.4

Example 6: Obtain the Lagrange’s equations of motion of a double pendulum.

Let the masses m1 and m2 be at the positions P1 (x1, y1) and P2(x2, y2) at any time
t. Also let 1 , 2 be the angular displacements (from the vertical) of the masses m1 and
m2 respectively (see, Fig 3.5). If l1 , l2 be the lengths of the strings then
x1  l1 sin 1 , y1  l1 cos1; x2  l1 sin 1  l2 sin 2 , y2  l1 cos1  l2 cos2

Total kinetic energy is given by

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 1 1 1 1
T m1 ( x12  y12 )  m2 ( x22  y 22 )  (m1  m2 )l1212  l1l212 cos(1  2 )
2 2 2 2

The potential energy is

V  m1 gl1 (1  cos1 )  m2 g (l1  l2  l1 cos1  l2 cos2 )

Fig.3.5

8
So, the Lagrangian of the system is given by
L  T V
1 1
 (m1  m2 )l1212  l1l212 cos(1   2 )
2 2
 m1 gl1 (1  cos 1 )  m2 g (l1  l2  l1 cos 1  l2 cos  2 )

d  L  L
Lagrange’s equation of motion corresponding to 1 gives   0
dt  1  1

which on simplification becomes

 m1  m2  l11  m2l22 cos(1  2 )  m2l222 sin(1  2 )  (m1  m2 ) g sin 1  0

d  L  L
Lagrange’s equation of motion corresponding to  2 gives   0
dt  2   2

which on simplification becomes l22  l11 cos(1  2 )  l112 sin(1  2 )  g sin 2  0

If 1 , 2 are very small then we have,

 m1  m2  l11  m2l22  (m1  m2 ) g1  0 & l22  l11  g2  0

These are the equations of motion of a double pendulum.

Example 7: Discuss the motion of a mass suspended by a light spring

Consider the vertical motion of mass m suspended at the end of a light spring. Let
at any time t, the displacement of m from the equilibrium position (O) be x. Then the
1 2
kinetic energy of mass m is given by T  mx , x being the velocity.
2

The work done during its fall from O to its present position is

x
x2
W   (mg  kx)dx  mgx  k , k being the spring constant .
0
2
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If V is the potential energy of mass m at its present position then

1 2
V  W  kx  mgx .
2

1 2 1 2
Therefore, the Lagrangian of the system is L  T  V  mx  kx  mgx
2 2

Here, x is the only generalized coordinate.

d  L  L
Lagrange’s equation of motion is given by    0 i.e. mx  mg  kx  0
dt  x  x

Example 8: Find the Lagrange’s equations of motion of a free particle in spherical polar
coordinates.

Free particle means that the particle is not acted upon by any kind of external
force. So, the potential energy can be taken as zero. Hence, for a free particle the
Lagrangian is

1
L T  m(r 2  r 22  r 2 sin 2 2 ) [in spherical polar coordinates (r , ,  ) ]
2

Lagrange’s equations of motion are

d  L  L
    0 i.e. mr  2r2  2r sin 2 2  0 ,
dt  r  r

d  L  L
   0 i.e. mr 2  mr 2 sin  cos2  0
dt    

d  L  L
&  
dt    
 0 i.e.
d
dt
 
mr 2 sin 2   0  mr 2 sin 2   constant

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Example 9: A particle of mass m moves in a plane. Find its equations in Cartesian
coordinates.

Let (x,y) be the position of the particle of mass m at time t. Let Fx and Fy be the
components of force acting on the particle along x and y directions respectively.

If Qx and Qy be the components of the generalized force in the x- and y-directions

respectively then Qx = Fx and Qy = Fy.

1
Kinetic energy of the particle is given by T  m( x 2  y 2 )
2

Now, Lagrange’s equations of motion are given by

d  T  T
   Qx i.e. mx  Fx
dt  x  x

d  T  T
&    Qy i.e. my  Fy
dt  y  y

Example 10: A bead sliding on a uniformly rotating wire in a force free plane. Find the
equations of motion.

The constraint is time dependent and we have x  r cos t , y  r sin t where  is the
angular velocity.

Here, r is the only generalized coordinate.

The kinetic energy is T 

1
2
  1

m r 2  r 22  m r2  r 2 2
2
 [    ]

Now, Lagrange’s equation of motion is given by

d  T  T
   0 i.e. mr  mr 2  0 i.e. 
r  r 2  0
dt  r  r

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Summary

In this Chapter reformulation of Newtonian Mechanics, commonly known as the

Lagrangian formalism which is associated with the configuration space and time has been
considered. The main features of this Chapter can be summarized as follows:

• A general equation of motion known as Lagrange’s equation of motion has been

derived for different types of dynamical system. Derivation of this equation does not
require the knowledge of the forces of constraints. It is derived directly using the
principle of virtual work and also using the knowledge of work and energy.

• Lagrangian is the difference between Kinetic Energy and the Potential Energy for the
holonomic dynamical system.

• Lagrange’s equation of motion is invariant to the particular set of generalized

coordinates chosen.

• Lagrangian formulation is extended to incorporate dissipative forces (Rayleigh’s

dissipative function).

• It is further extended to incorporate the nonholonomic constraints and Lagrange’s

equations of motion for a nonholonomic system is derived.

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