Classical Mechanics The Lagrange Equation Derived Via The Calculus of Variations
Classical Mechanics The Lagrange Equation Derived Via The Calculus of Variations
Classical Mechanics The Lagrange Equation Derived Via The Calculus of Variations
LECTURE 25:
THE LAGRANGE EQUATION
DERIVED VIA THE
CALCULUS OF VARIATIONS
Prof. N. Harnew
University of Oxford
HT 2017
1
OUTLINE : 25. THE LAGRANGE EQUATION DERIVED
VIA THE CALCULUS OF VARIATIONS
2
25.1 The Lagrangian : simplest illustration
The Lagrangian : L = T − U
I In 1D : Kinetic energy T = 21 mẋ 2 No explicit dependence on x
Potential energy U = U(x) No explicit dependence on ẋ
I Define the Lagrangian in 1D : L = 21 mẋ 2 − U(x)
∂L ∂L
I
∂ ẋ
= mẋ and = − ∂U
∂x gives
∂x force F
d ∂L
I Differentiate wrt time : dt ∂ ẋ
= mẍ = F
I Hence we get
the Euler - Lagrange equation for x :
d ∂L ∂L
dt ∂ ẋ = ∂x
I Now generalize : the Lagrangian becomes a function of 2n
variables (n is the dimension of the configuration space).
Variables are the positions and velocities
L(q1 , · · · , qn , q̇1 , · · · , q̇n )
d ∂L ∂L
dt ∂ q̇k
= ∂qk
Next we expand on this concept.
3
25.2 The calculus of variations
I Take 2 points A(x0 , y0 ) and B(x1 , y1 )
I Curve joining them is represented by
equation y = y(x) such that y (x)
satisfies the boundary conditions :
→ y (x0 ) = y0 , y (x1 ) = y1
I We want to find the function
y = y(x) subject to the above
conditions which makes the closest
path between the points a minimum.
(note that this differs from what we
are used to. We are not minimizing a
set of variables here but a function).
4
The calculus of variations, continued (1)
I We assume the unknown function f is a continuously
differentiable scalar function, and the functional to be minimized
depends on y (x) and at most upon its first derivative y 0 (x).
I We then wish to find the stationaryR values of the path between
x
points: an integral of the form I = x01 f (y, y 0 , x)dx
→ f (y, y 0 , x) is a function of x, y and y 0 (the first derivative of y )
I Consider a small change δy (x) in the
function y (x) subject to the conditions that
the endpoints are unchanged :
→ δy(x0 ) = 0 and δy(x1 ) = 0
I To first order, the variation in f (y, y 0 , x) is
∂f ∂f 0 2 02
δf = ∂y δy + ∂y 0 δy + O(δy , δy )
d
where δy 0 = dx δy
I Thus the variation in the integral I is
R x h ∂f ∂f d
i
δI = x01 ∂y δy + ∂y 0 dx δy dx
5
The calculus iof variations, continued (2)
R x1 h ∂f ∂f d
I δI = x0 ∂y δy + ∂y 0 dx δy dx
I Integrate the second term by parts
h ix1 R
R 2nd ∂f x d ∂f
term = ∂y 0 δy − x01 dx ∂y 0 δy dx
x0
h i x1
∂f
The ∂y 0
δy term = 0 due to the
x0
conditions on the end points
I Hence h i
R x ∂f d ∂f
δI = x01 ∂y − dx ∂y 0 δy dx
I For I to be stationary, δI = 0 for any
small arbitrary variation δy (x)
8
25.4 Fermat’s Principle & Snell’s Law
Fermat : The actual path that a light ray propagating between one
point to another will take is the one that makes the time travelled
between the two points stationary.
Question: at which point (x, 0) will the ray hit the interface between
the two media to propagate from A to B?
10