Mathematical formulation {eai;
Hamilton's principle states that the true evolutiong(t) of a system described by N generalized
coordinates q = (q1, q2, .-. gu) between two specified states q1 = q(t) and qa = q(tz) at two specified
times t; and fz is a stationary point (a point where the variation is zero), of the action functional
[ Ha.ae.nae
1
where L(q, q@ t)is the Lagrangian function for the system. In other words, any first-orderperturbation
of the true evolution results in (at most)second-order changes in . The action is afunctional, ie.,
something that takes as its input afunction and returns a single number, a scalar. In terms of functional
analysis, Hamilton's principle states that the true evolution of a physical system is a solution of the
functional equation
Hamilton's principle
5S
3S _ 9
dq(t)
Euler-Lagrange equations derived from the action integral [cdit|
Requiring that the true trajectory q(t) be astationary point of the action functional is equivalent to a
set of differential equations for q(t) (the Euler-Lagrange equations), which may be derived as follows.
Let q(t) represent the true evolution of the system between two specified states q4 = q(t) and qz =a(t2)
at two specified times fy and fp, and let e(t) be a small perturbation that is zero at the endpoints of the
trajectory
e(ts) = elt) #0
To first order in the perturbation e(f), the change in the action functional §.S would be
t2 ty OL OL
| q+) —L(q,q)|dt Se.) at
[ [q+e.a+e) —L(q,4)] [ (« aq? =)
where we have expanded the Lagrangian L to first order in the perturbation e(f).
6S
Applying integration by parts to the last term results in
ar" te ( aL d 3)
5S = |e- +f eS e. [) a
Aa), Ju oq dt Iq
The boundary conditions e(t,) = e(ty)
“2 OL daL
6S = (S-L2) a
I . (3; am)
Hamilton's principle requires that this first-order change §S is zero for all possible perturbationse(t), ie.,
the true path is a stationary point of the action functional .S (either a minimum, maximum or saddle
(pauses the first term to vanishpoint). This requirement can be satisfied if and only if
Euler-Lagrange equ
ab dal _,
dq” dq”
These equations are called the Euler-Lagrange equations for the variational problem.
Canonical momenta and constants of motion |edit)
The conjugate momentum p; for a generalized coordinate q, is defined by the equation
An important special case of the Euler-Lagrange equation occurs when L does not contain a
generalized coordinate q, explicitly,
aL dL dps
5-=9 = F5-=0 = >
ai dt qx dt
that is, the conjugate momentum is a constant of the motion.
0
In such cases, the coordinate q, is called a cyclic coordinate. For example, if we use polar
coordinates f, r, 6 to describe the planar motion of a particle, and if L does not depend on @, the
conjugate momentum is the conserved angular momentum