PHYS20401

ONE HOUR THIRTY MINUTES

A list of constants is enclosed.

UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
Lagrangian Dynamics

16th January 2015, 2.00 p.m. - 3.30 p.m.

Answer ALL parts of question 1 and TWO other questions

The use of electronic calculators is not permitted.

The numbers are given as a guide to the relative weights of the different parts of
each question.

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PHYS20401

1.

a) A uniform solid spherical ball of mass m and radius r is free to roll without slipping
under the influence of gravity on the inside of a cylinder of radius R, where R  r.
The motion is confined to a vertical plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the
cylinder, as shown in the diagram.

i) Write down the Lagrangian for the system in terms of the angular displacement,
, of the centre of the ball from the equilibrium position, as shown in the
diagram. You may use without proof the fact that the moment of inertia of the
ball about an axis through its centre is given by I = 2mr2 /5.
[6 marks]
ii) Apply Lagranges equation to obtain the equation of motion.

[3 marks]

iii) Thus show that the angular frequency, , of small oscillations about the equilibrium position is given by
5g
.
2 =
7R
[2 marks]
iv) State the definition of the Hamiltonian for a system with one degree of freedom.
[2 marks]
v) Thus find an expression for the Hamiltonian of the system shown in the diagram
in terms of and the conjugate momentum, p .
[5 marks]
vi) Apply the appropriate Hamiltons equation to find p and demonstrate that the
result is consistent with the result obtained in part (ii).
[3 marks]
b) Show that the rate of change of an observable G(qi , pi , t) may be written as:
dG
G
= [G, H] +
,
dt
t
where H is the Hamiltonian and [G, H] denotes a Poisson bracket.
[4 marks]
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PHYS20401
2. A particle of mass m moves on a frictionless horizontal table. A light string is attached
to the particle and passes without friction through a small hole in the table. The string
is fastened to a light spring of spring constant k, whose other end is attached to a fixed
point (as shown in the following figure). The length of the string is chosen such that
when the particle is located at the hole the spring is unstretched.

a) Write down the Lagrangian in terms of the radial (r) and azimuthal () coordinates
of the mass.
[5 marks]
b) By applying Lagranges equations obtain the equations of motion.
[4 marks]
c) Identify two conserved quantities associated with the motion of the system. Demonstrate explicitly that the total differential with respect to time is zero for both of
these quantities.
[7 marks]
d) For a circular orbit of radius r0 show that r0 is related to the angular momentum J
by
J2
.
r04 =
mk
Show also that for circular orbits the orbital frequency is independent of r0 .
[4 marks]
e) Suppose that the particle initially follows a circular orbit of radius r0 . It is then
given a small radial impulse (such that its angular momentum is not changed). Show
that for small radial displacements, r, relative to r0 the particle exhibits simple
harmonic motion with angular frequency
2 =

4k
.
m
[5 marks]

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PHYS20401
3. The system shown in the diagram consists of a rigid straight beam of length 2l that is
free to rotate about a horizontal axis that passes through its centre. The corresponding
moment of inertia of the beam is I. A pendulum consisting of a mass m connected to a
massless rod of length r is suspended from one end of the beam. The other end of the
beam is connected to one end of a massless spring with spring constant k. The other
end of the spring is connected to a ring that is free to slide without friction along a rigid
straight horizontal rod. The motion of the entire system is confined to the plane of the
diagram, which is vertical. The equilibrium position of the system is such that the beam
is horizontal.

2l

<
< >
< > k
< >
>

m
a) Find expressions for the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity of the
mass m. Express your answer in terms of the angle between the beam and the
horizontal and the angle between the pendulum and the vertical (as shown in the
diagram) and their time derivatives. At this stage do not make the approximation
that the angles or are small.
[8 marks]
b) Write down the Lagrangian for the entire system.

[6 marks]

c) Make the approximation that the angles and are both small and obtain a simplified Lagrangian for the system. Explain carefully the justification for any approximations you make.
[4 marks]
d) Apply Lagranges equations to the simplified Lagrangian to obtain the equations of
motion.
[5 marks]
e) Thus, show that the angular frequencies of small oscillations about the equilibrium
position of the system are given by
12 =

kl2
ml2 + I
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and

g
22 = .
r

[2 marks]
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PHYS20401
4. Two identical hoops of radius R are mounted on a common axis a distance a apart. A
5
soap film forms between them, as shown in the diagram. Let x be the distance along the
axis 1999
(with xcontinued.
= 0 at the midpoint)
and y(x) be the radius of the film at x. The soap film
January
..
may be considered as being formed by the rotation about the x axis of the curve y(x).

y(x)

&

. Two identical hoops radius R are mounted on a common axis a distance a apart. A
a) Show that the area A of the film is given by
oap film forms between them as shown in the diagram. If x is the distance along the
Z a/2 q
xis (with x = 0 at the midpoint) and Ay(x)
radius
of the film at x, show that the
(y 0 )2 dx,
is the
y 1+
a/2
rea of the film is given by
where

A = 2

a/2

a/2

q0

dy
1 +dx(y. 0 )2 dx.

y =

[6 marks]

[10 marks]

b) Find an equation that determines the curve y(x) such that the area of the film is a
ind the equation
for the curve y(x) which minimises the area of the film, and show that
minimum. Show that
 
he solution is
x
y = c
cosh
x c
y = c cosh
is a solution of this equation, where c is acconstant.
[13 marks]
here c is a constant.
[15 marks]
c) Write down the equation which determines c in terms of a and R. Is this the shape
the soap film
that will
actually form
values
a and R?
the ofequation
which
determines
c. for
Is all
this
theof form
of soap film which
[6 marks]

Write down
ctually form for all values of a and R?

will

[5 marks]
END OF EXAMINATION PAPER
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