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Problem Sheet 8: Advanced Classical Mechanics

This document contains 4 problems related to classical mechanics. Problem 1 involves finding the action and angle variables for a particle in a 2D non-isotropic harmonic oscillator potential. Problem 2 involves finding the action variables and periodicity conditions for a particle in a 2D infinite square well potential. Problem 3 shows that the energy of a simple plane pendulum undergoing small oscillations remains constant when the string length is slowly shortened. Problem 4 considers a particle between rigid walls, showing the average outward force, and that the product of energy and square of length remains constant when one wall is slowly moved.

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Jonathan Russell
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42 views

Problem Sheet 8: Advanced Classical Mechanics

This document contains 4 problems related to classical mechanics. Problem 1 involves finding the action and angle variables for a particle in a 2D non-isotropic harmonic oscillator potential. Problem 2 involves finding the action variables and periodicity conditions for a particle in a 2D infinite square well potential. Problem 3 shows that the energy of a simple plane pendulum undergoing small oscillations remains constant when the string length is slowly shortened. Problem 4 considers a particle between rigid walls, showing the average outward force, and that the product of energy and square of length remains constant when one wall is slowly moved.

Uploaded by

Jonathan Russell
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Problem sheet 8

Advanced classical mechanics

1. A particle of mass m moves in two dimensions (x, y) in a non-isotropic harmonic oscillator well
1
1
V ( x, y) mx 2 x 2 m y 2 y 2
2
2
where in general x y .
(a) Find the action variables I x , I y and express the energy in terms of these.
(b) Find the angle variables x , y and express the cartesian coordinates in terms of the action-angle
variables.
(c) Write down the angle variables and the cartesian coordinates as functions of time.
2. A particle of mass m moves in two dimensions x, y in a rectangular "infinite square well" potential
V 0 for 0 x a ,0 y b and V otherwise .

(a) Find the action variables Ix and Iy.


(b) Find the frequencies x and y , and write down the condition for periodic trajectories. Interpret your
result geometrically.
3. Consider a simple plane pendulum undergoing small amplitude oscillations, and suppose that the length l is
shortened adiabatically, by pulling the string up through a small hole in the ceiling. Using elementary
mechanics, show that the energy of oscillation Eosc increases such that Eosc l remains constant.
4. A particle of mass m moves in one dimension x between rigid walls at x = 0 and at x = l. Using elementary
mechanics :
(a) Show that the average outward force on the walls is F 2E / l where E is the kinetic energy of the
particle.
(b) Suppose now that the wall at x = l is moved adiabatically. The energy of the particle then changes as a
result of its collisions with the moving wall. Show that E 2E / l l .
(c) Hence show that El 2 remains constant under this adiabatic change. Compare this result with that given by
the well-known one "the action is adiabatically invariant".

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