Chapter 6 – Lecture VI

Problem Discussions

Page 249, 6.13

A particle moves in a spiral orbit given by r = aθ . If

θ increases linearly with t, is the force a central
field? If not, determine how θ must vary with t for
a central force.

Given r = aθ and θ = wt .

So we have for the angular momentum

L = mr 2θ&

L = ma 2 w3t 2
Since this says L (t ) then angular momentum is not
constant ∴ it is not a central force. To be a central
force, we must have
r 2θ& = l = constant
dθ
a 2θ 2 =l
dt
θ 2 l t
∫θ 0 θ d θ =
a 2 ∫0
dt

( )
1 θ3 − θ03 = l t
3 a2

l
θ3 = 3 t + θ3
0
a2
Page 2 of 11 10/21/2002

Page 249, 6.18

A particle moves in an elliptic orbit in an inverse-

square force field. Prove that the product of the
minimum and maximum speeds is equal to
(2π a τ )2 , where a is the semi-major axis and τ
is the periodic time.

r=
(
a 1 − ε2 ) l = rv sin ϕ
1 + ε cos θ

V = max at θ = 0

V = min @ θ = π

at θ = 0 and π, ϕ = 90 and l = rminVmax at 0

0 0

and l = rmaxVmin @ θ = 180

0

The area of an ellipse is

Area = π a 1 − ε
2
( 2
) 2; b = a
1
1− ε 2

l 2 = rmaxVmin ⋅ rminVmax

2& d area
also: l = r θ =2 = constant
d time
Page 3 of 11 10/21/2002

l=2
πa 1 − ε 2
2
( 2
)1

τ
where τ is period

Putting these two expressions for l together, we

have:

( )
2
 1
2
 2π a 1 − ε
2 2
 = rmax rminVminVmax
 τ 
 

= a (1 + ε )a(1 − ε )VminVmax

2
 2π a 2 

 τ  ( ) (
 1 − E 2 = a 2 1 − E 2 VminVmax )
 

2
 2πa 
∴ VmaxVmin = 
 τ 
Page 4 of 11 10/21/2002

Page 249, 6.19

At a certain point in its elliptical orbit about the

Sun, a planet receives a small tangential impulse so
that its velocity changes from v to δ + v . Find the
resultant small changes in a, the semi-major axis.

We know the equations for the orbit

r=
a 1 − ε2( ) 1
1 + E cos θ
and

2 E ml 2
ε = 1+
2
⋅ 2
K K
Where E=Kinetic + Potential = T+V and l = rv sin φ
2 2
so l = r T sin 2 φ .
2
m

The problem asks for da = ( )dv . In other words,

for a particle described at r and θ , the velocity
r
changes. This changes E and L , but not r or θ .
One could take 1, keep r and θ constant and
da dε da
compute , then to arrive at . However,
dε dv dv
when one starts to do this it gets very messy.

A better approach is to look at equation 6.10.10. It

gives the total energy in terms of “a”.
Page 5 of 11 10/21/2002

K
E=− 3
2a
For our case

K
E = T +V = −
2a
but for the planets ε ≈ 0 and the potential energy is
K
about − , so we can say
a

 K K
ETotal = T + V = T +  −  = −
 a 2a

K
or T = .
2a
Thus we have

1 mv 2 = K 4
2 2a

K
or mvdv = − 2
da 5
2a

Divide 5 by 4
Page 6 of 11 10/21/2002

2dv da
=−
V a

This is the answer we seek.

da dv
= −2
a v

A small fractional change in velocity produces

twice as much fractional change in a.
Page 7 of 11 10/21/2002

Page 251, 6.30

According to the special theory of relativity, a particle

moving in a central field with potential energy V (r ) will
describe the same orbit that a particle with a potential
energy

V (r ) −
[E − V (r )]2
2m0c 2

would describe according to nonrelativistic

mechanics. Here E is the total energy, m0 is the
rest mass of the particle, and c is the speed of light.
From this, find the apsidal angle for motion in an
inverse-square force field, V (r ) = − k
r.

Equation 6.14.3 gives us the equation we need to

compute the apsidal angle. To use it, we need
df
f and .
dr

 E + k  
2
  
d  k 
f (r ) = −
dV r 
=− − −
dr dr  r 2m0c 2
 
 
2
k 1 d  k
f (r ) = − 2 +  E + 
r 2m0c 2 dr  r
Page 8 of 11 10/21/2002

k 1  k  k 
=− + 2 E +  − 
r 2 2m0c 2  r  r 2 

k 1  − kE k 2 
=− 2+ 2 2
− 3
r m0c  r r 

k  kE  k 2 1
f (r ) = − 2 1 + −
2
1
r  m0c  m0c 2 r 3

df k  kE  k2 1
= 2 3 1 + 2
+3
dr r  m0 c  m0 c2 r 4

−1
 k  kE  2
k 1 
2
 2 3 1 + 2
+3 2 4 
ψ = π 3 + a
a  m0 c  m0 c a 
 k  E  k 2 1 
 −  2  1 + +
2 2 3

  a  m0c  m0c a  

After simplifying, this becomes:

1
 k  2
ψ = π 1 +
 a E (
+ m0 c 2 
)
Page 9 of 11 10/21/2002

Page 251, 6.31

Use diagram on page 234, example 6.10.1

A comet is observed to have a speed v when it is a

distance r from the Sun, and its direction of motion
makes an angle φ with the radius vector from the
Sun. Show that the major axis of the elliptical orbit
of the comet makes an angle θ with the initial
radius vector of the comet given by

 2 
θ = cot −1 tan φ − 2 csc 2φ 
 V R 

where V = v ve and R = r a e are dimensionless

ratios as defined in Example 6.10.1. Apply the
result to the numerical values of Example 6.10.1.

From equation 6.10.7

ml 2 k
r= 1
1 + ε cos θ

θ is measured from the line called r0 in the figure

and goes clockwise around to “r”. In the picture, θ
r r
r×p
is a Quadrant III angle, also l = = r v sin φ
m

mr 2v 2 sin 2 φ
r (1 + ε cos θ) =
k
Page 10 of 11 10/21/2002

 mrv2 sin 2 φ 
cos θ =  − 1 ε 2
 k 

Now k = GMm and GM = aeve . (This comes from

2

mve 2 GM s m
= 2
.) with this 2 becomes
R R

rv 2 sin 2 φ r
ε cos θ = − 1; let v v e ≡ v, ≡R
ae ve2 ae
3

Then 3 becomes

ε cos θ = Rv2 sin 2 φ − 1 4

Then sin θ = 1 − cos θ
2
2
 Rv2 sin 2 φ − 1 
sin θ = 1 − 
2 

 ε 

ε 
(
= 2  ε 2 − Rv2 sin 2 φ − 1 
1 2


) 5

ε 2 is given on page 235, example 6.10.1

( )
ε 2 = 1 + v2 − 2 R (Rv sin φ ) . Using this in 5
2
Page 11 of 11 10/21/2002

sin 2 θ =
1

ε2 
1 +( v 2
− 2 R ( )
Rv sin φ )2
− (
Rv 2
sin 2
φ − )
1
2


1 1 + v R v sin φ − 2 Rv sin φ − 
2 2 2 2 2 2
= 2
ε  R 2v 4 sin 4 φ + 2 Rv2 sin 2 φ − 1 

1
( (
= 2 R 2v 4 sin 2 φ − sin 4 φ
ε
))
1
= 2 R 2v 4 sin 2 φ cos 2 φ
ε
Rv 2 sin φ cos φ
sin θ = 6
ε

Combining 4 & 6, we have

ε cos θ Rv2 sin 2 φ − 1

cot θ = =
ε sin θ Rv2 sin φ cos φ
or
Rv 2 sin 2 φ 1
cot θ = 2 − 2
Rv sin φ cos φ Rv sin φ cos φ
2 1
= tan φ − 2
Rv sin 2φ

2
∴ cot θ = tan φ − 2
⋅ csc (2φ )
Rv