1 Derivation of Lagrange Equations

Consider a particle acted upon by forces X, Y, Z. By Newtons 2nd law:

mx = X (1)
my = Y (2)
mz = Z (3)

Suppose that:

x = x (q1 , q2 , q3 , . . . , qn , t) (4)
y = y (q1 , q2 , q3 , . . . , qn , t) (5)
z = z (q1 , q2 , q3 , . . . , qn , t) (6)

That is, x, y, z are functions of generalised coordinates q1 , q2 , q3 , . . . , qn .

And that each coordinate is a function of time: qi = qi (t).
It follows that:
dx x x x x
x = = q1 + q2 + . . . + qn + (7)
dt q1 q2 qn t
x x
x = qi + (8)
qi t
x = f (qi , qi , t) (9)

Where i = 1, 2, . . . , n. Hence, we may write the differential of x with respect to the component qi :
x x
= (10)
qi qi
x x
x = x (11)
qi qi
d x d x
   
x = x (12)
dt qi dt qi
x d x
 
= x + x (13)
qi dt qi
Now, if we define:
x
fi (q1 , q2 , . . . , qn , t) = fi (qj , t) (14)
qi
Then we have:
d fi fi
fi = qj + (15)
dt qj t
x x
= qj + (16)
qj qi t qi
!
x x
= qj + (17)
qi qj t

1

= x (18)
qi
d x
 
= x (19)
dt qi qi
Hence, we have, after substituting (19) into (13):
d x x x
 
x = x + x (20)
dt qi qi qi
Notice:
d 1 2 x x
 
x = x (21)
dx 2 qi qi
1 2 x
 
x = x (22)
qi 2 qi
 
1 2
And noting similarly that qi 2 x = x qxi ; rewrite (20):

x d 1 2 1 2
   
x = x x (23)
qi dt qi 2 qi 2
Thus, multiplying through by m, and noting that mx = X, and doing similar things for Y, Z:
x d 1 1
   
X = mx2 mx2 (24)
qi dt qi 2 qi 2
y d 1 1
   
2 2
Y = my my (25)
qi dt qi 2 qi 2
z d 1 2 1 2
   
Z = mz mz (26)
qi dt qi 2 qi 2
(27)

Adding gives:
x y z d 1  2 1  2
     
X +Y +Z = m x + y 2 + z 2 m x + y 2 + z 2 (28)
qi qi qi dt qi 2 qi 2
But, 21 m x2 + y 2 + z 2 = T 0 , the kinetic energy of a particle.

Thus:
x y z d 0
 
T0


X +Y +Z = T (29)
qi qi qi dt qi qi
For a continuous body of particles p1 , p2 , . . ., where pi (xi , yi , zi ). Applying (29) to particle pj :
xj yj zj d 0  0
 
Xj + Yj + Zj = Tj T (30)
qi qi qi dt qi qi j
P
However, Ti = T = total kinetic energy of body.
So, defining Qi as the generalised component of force:
X xj yj zj

Qi Xj + Yj + Zj (31)
j
qi qi qi

2
Thus:
d
Qi = T T (32)
dt qi qi
Now, if the forces acting on the body are conservative, we have a relation betwen the generalised
force Qi and potential energy function V :
V
Qi = (33)
qi

Where the potential V (qi , t). Thus, (32) can be rewritten:

d T T V
 
= (34)
dt qi qi qi
Now, if we define the Lagrangian to be:

LT V (35)

Thus we can write the lagrangian equation of motion:

d L L
 
=0 (36)
dt qi qi