PHYS620 Fall 2018 Homework 2 Solutions.

1. (a) Write down the Lagrangian L ( x1 , x2 , x1 , x2 ) for two particles of equal mass m,
confined to the x axis and connected by a spring with potential energy U = kx 2 2. [Here x
is the extension of the spring, x = x1 − x2 − l , where l is the spring’s relaxed length and
mass 1 remains to the right of mass 2 at all times.]

=
(b) Rewrite L in terms of the new variables X ( x1 + x2 ) 2, and x, and write down the
two Lagrange equations for X and x.

(c) Solve for X(t) and x(t) and describe the motion.

Solution:
(a) The Lagrangian is

m ( x12 + x2 2 ) − k ( x1 − x2 − l ) .
1 1
=
2
L
2 2
(b) Since
2 X= x1 + x2 ,
 x1 − x2 ,
x=
we get
1
x=
1 X + x ,
2
1
x=
2 X − x.
2
In terms of the new variables
1  2 1 2 1 2
=
L m  2 X + x  − kx .
2  2  2
We see that this is independent of X.
The Lagrange equations of motion are
d
dt
( 2mX ) = 0,
and
d 1 
 mx  = −kx.
dt  2 
(c) The first equation is a consequence of conservation of total momentum of the system,
and has solution

X= a + bt ,
where a and b are constants.

The second equation has solution

= x A sin (ωt ) + B cos (ωt ) ,
where A and B are constants and
2k
ω= .
m
The relative position of the two masses undergoes simple harmonic motion with the same
frequency as a single particle with mass equal to the reduced mass of the system.

2. The figure shows a crude model of a yo-yo. A massless string is

suspended vertically from a fixed point and the other end is x
wrapped several times around a uniform cylinder of mass m and
radius R. When the cylinder is released, it moves vertically down, ω
rotating as the string unwinds. Write down the Lagrangian using
the distance x as your generalized coordinate. Find the Lagrange
equation of motion and show that the cylinder accelerates
downward with  x = 2 g 3.

Solution: The kinetic energy is

1 2 11 
=T mx +  mR 2  ω 2 .
2 22 
By considering how x increases as the string unwinds, we find
x = Rω.
Since the gravitational potential energy is
U = −mgx,
the Lagrangian is
3 2
= L mx + mgx.
4
The equation of motion is
d 3 
 mx  = mg ,
dt  2 
which shows that the acceleration of the cylinder is 2 g 3.

3. A smooth wire is bent into the shape of a helix, with cylindrical polar coordinates
ρ = R and z = λφ , where R and λ are constants, and the z-axis is vertically up (and
gravity vertically down). Using z as your generalized coordinate, write down the
Lagrangian for a bead of mass m threaded on the wire. Find the Lagrange equation and
hence the bead’s vertical acceleration z. In the limit R → 0, what is z? Does this make
sense?

Solution: The kinetic and potential energies of the bead are

= T
1
2
( )
m R 2φ2 + z 2 ,

and
U = mgz ,
respectively. Since the bead is constrained to move on the wire, φ = z λ , and so that the
Lagrangian is
1  R2 
L =T − U = m  2 + 1 z 2 − mgz.
2 λ 
The Lagrange equation of motion is
d   R2  
m  + 1 z  =
−mg ,
dt   λ 2  
from which we see that the downward acceleration is g λ 2 ( R 2 + λ 2 ) . In the limit,
R → 0, the acceleration is g as expected for a bead sliding on a straight frictionless
vertical wire.

4. The figure shows a simple pendulum (mass m, length

ω P
l) who point of support P is attached to the edge of a
wheel (center O, radius R) that is forced to rotate at
fixed angular velocity ω. At t = 0 the point P is level O
with O on the right. Write down the Lagrangian and
find the equation of motion for the angle φ . Check that
your answer makes sense in the special case that ω = 0.
ϕ

Solution: Let the angle that the line OP makes with the horizontal be θ , where θ = ωt.
Taking the origin of coordinates to be at O, the pendulum bob has position
= x R cos θ + l sin φ ,
= y R sin θ − l cos φ .
The kinetic energy of the bob is
 m ( x 2 + y 2 )
1
=T
2
1
( 1
) (
=m − Rω sin θ + lφ cos φ + m Rω cos θ + lφ sin φ )
2 2

2 2
1
= m  R 2ω 2 + 2 Rωlφ ( cos θ sin φ − sin θ cos φ ) + l 2φ2 
2
1
= m  R 2ω 2 + 2 Rωlφ sin (φ − θ ) + l 2φ2  .
2

The gravitational potential energy is

=U mgy= mg ( R sin θ − l cos φ ) ,
and hence the Lagrangian is
1
= L m  R 2ω 2 + 2 Rωlφ sin (φ − θ ) + l 2φ2  − mg ( R sin θ − l cos φ ) .
2 
The equation of motion is
d 1 1
φ − θ ) + 2l 2φ 
m  2 Rωl sin (= m  2 Rωlφ cos (φ − θ )  − mgl sin φ .
dt 2 2 
Evaluating the time derivative, this becomes
R 2 g
= φ ω cos (φ − ωt ) − sin φ .
l l
Note this gives the correct result in the limit ω → 0.

5. A simple pendulum (mass M and length L) is

x
suspended from a cart (mass m) that can oscillate
on the end of a spring of force constant k.
m
k
(a) Write the Lagrangian in terms of the two
ϕ
generalized coordinates x and φ , where x is the L
extension of the spring from its equilibrium
length. Find the two Lagrange equations. M

(b) Simplify the equations to the case that both x and φ are small.

Solution: (a) With appropriate choice of coordinate origin, the position of the pendulum
bob is
X = x + L sin φ ,
Y = − L cos φ .
The kinetic energy of the system is
 T =mx 2 + M ( X 2 + Y 2 )
1 1
2 2
1 2 1
( ) 1
= mx + M x + Lφ cos φ + ML2φ2 sin 2 φ
2

2 2 2
1 1
= ( m + M ) x 2 + MxL  φ cos φ + ML2φ2 .
2 2
The potential energy is
1 2
= U kx + Mgy
2
1 2
= kx − MgL cos φ .
2
Hence the Lagrangian is
1 1 1
L = ( m + M ) x 2 + MxL  φ cos φ + ML2φ2 − kx 2 + MgL cos φ .
2 2 2
The equations of motion are
d
( m + M ) x + MLφ cos φ  = −kx,
dt
and
d
 MxL cos φ + ML2φ  = − MxL φ sin φ − MgL sin φ .
dt
These simplify to
( m + M ) x + MLφ cos φ − MLφ2 sin φ = −kx,
and
x cos φ + Lφ =
 − g sin φ .

(b) When x and φ are small, we replace cos ϕ by 1 and sin ϕ by ϕ. Terms of second order
and higher, such as MLφ2 sin φ , are dropped. The linearized equations are
( m + M ) x + MLφ =
−kx,
and
x + Lφ =
 − gφ .
 6. The figure is a bird’s eye view of a smooth horizontal
wire hoop that is forced to rotate at a fixed angular B
velocity ω about a vertical axis through the point A. A
bead of mass m is threaded on the hoop and is free to
move around it, with position specified by the angle φ
that it makes at the center with the diameter AB. Find the ω
Lagrangian for this system using φ as the generalized A
coordinate. Use the Lagrange equation of motion to
show that the bead oscillates about the point B exactly
like a simple pendulum. What is the frequency of these
oscillations if their amplitude is small?

Solution: Take A to be the coordinate origin. The coordinates of the mass are
x =R cos ωt + R cos (ωt + φ ) ,
y =R sin ωt + R sin (ωt + φ ) .
Hence the kinetic energy is
m ( x 2 + y 2 )
1
= T
2
1
( ) 1
( )
= m  − Rω sin ωt − R ω + φ sin (ωt + φ )  + m  Rω cos ωt + R ω + φ cos (ωt + φ ) 
2 2

2 2
1 1
( )
mR 2ω 2 + mR 2 ω + φ + mR 2ω ω + φ cos φ . ( )
2
=
2 2
The potential energy is zero and hence L = T . The Lagrange equation of motion is
d  2
dt 
( )
mR ω + φ + mR 2ω cos φ  = (
−mR 2ω ω + φ sin φ , )
which simplifies to
φ = −ω 2 sin φ ,
which is the simple pendulum equation. For small amplitude motion the (angular)
frequency is ω.