1) The equations of motion of two coupled oscillators are given by
√ √ ẍ1 + 4x1 + 2x2 = 0 and ẍ2 + 5x2 + 2x1 = 0
Find the normal frequencies and the ratios of the amplitudes of the normal modes.
2) Two masses m1 and m2 connected by a massless spring of stiffness s are
lying on a horinontal smoth surface. Show that the system p can oscillators along the length of the spring with an angular frequency ω = s/µ where µ = mm11+m m2 2 is the reduced mass of the system. Also show that the ratio of the amplitudes of the oscillating masses is given by A m2 A2 = − m1 1
3) A CO molecule vibrates with natural frequency 9.55 × 1013 Hz. Calculate
the interatomic force constant for the molecule. Assume the interatomic force to be proportional to displacement and take mass of carbon atom = 12 a.m.u and that of oxygen atom = 16 a.m.u (1a.m.u = 1.67 × 10−27 kg)
4) Consider a string under tension T to which are attached a large number
of equal masses m at equal distances a. The equation of motion of the p th mass can be written as T mÿp = (yp+1 + yp−1 − 2yp ) a where yp−1 , yp and yp+1 are respectively the displacements of the (p − 1), pth and (p + 1) th masses. Show that in the limit a → δx → 0 and the masses m → 0 this equation takes the form of wave equation given by ∂ 2 yp T ∂ 2 yp = · ∂t2 ρ ∂x2 where ρ is the mass per unit length of the string. [Hints : Use m → ρδx, a → δx, yp = yp (x), yp+1 = yp (x + δx), yp−1 = yp (x − δx) and make Taylor series expansions as
(δx)2 yp (x + δx) = yp (x) + y ′ (x) · δx + yp′′ p (x) 2!
1 5) Show that the kinetic energy of two identical simple pendulums coupled by a spring may be expressed as aẊ12 + bẊ22 where Ẋ1 and Ẋ2 are normal coordinates and a and b are constants.
