Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

1. The Lagrangian for a charged particle (with charge q) in an electromagnetic field is given by

1
L(~r, ~r˙ ; t) = m~r˙ 2 + q~r˙ · A(~
~ r, t) − qφ(~r, t) (1)
2
~ are scalar and vector electromagnetic potentials, respectively, in terms of which
where φ and A

E ~ − ∂ A,
~ = −∇φ ~ and ~ =∇
B ~ × A.
~ (2)
∂t
(a) What is the (canonical conjugage) momentum associated with ~r?
(b) Show that the Euler-Lagrange equations of motion reproduces the Lorentz force m~a = q(E ~ + ~v × B).
~
Hint: Write each
P of x, y, z components separately, and pay special attention to total vs. partial time derivatives.
(c) Use H = α q̇α pα − L to derive the Hamiltonian of the system and simplify the result.
(d) Derive the Lorentz relation from the Hamilton’s canonical relation.

(a) To find the canonical momentum conjugate to ~r we write

∂L
pj = = mṙj + qAj → p~ = m~r˙ + q A
~ (3)
∂ ṙj

(b) The Euler Lagrange equation is

∂L d  ∂L 
= (4)
∂rj dt ∂ ṙj

The two sides of these equations are

∂L X ∂Ai ∂φ d  ∂L  d d
=q ṙi −q , and = pj = mr̈j + q Aj (5)
∂rj i
∂rj ∂rj dt ∂ ṙj dt dt

~ r, t) is
before equating these two, let us also note that time-derivative of A(~

d ∂ X ∂Aj
Aj = Aj + ṙi (6)
dt ∂t i
∂ri

Putting all together,

h ∂φ ∂Aj i X h ∂Ai ∂Aj i
mr̈j = q − − +q ṙj − ṙi (7)
∂rj ∂t i
∂rj ∂ri

The first bracket is clearly Ej . To see whether the second bracket is (~r˙ × B)
~ j , let us compute the latter

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X
(~r˙ × B)
~ j= jmn ṙm Bn (8)
m,n=1
3
X hX i
= jmn ṙm nki ∂k Ai (9)
m,n kl
X hX i
= njm nki ṙm ∂k Ai (10)
m,k,i n
Xh i
= δ jk δ im − δ ij δ mk ṙm ∂k Ai (11)
m,k,i
X
= (ṙi ∂j Ai − ṙi ∂i Aj ) (12)
i

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

In the last line, for the blue term we have re-labeled the dummy summation index m → i. This is clearly (7) and so,

m~r¨ = q E
~ + q~v × B.
~ (13)
(c) The Hamiltonian is
X
H(~r, p~; t) = ṙj pj − L (14)
j
1 X hX 1 q X i
= (pj − qAj )pj − (pj − qAj )2 + (pj − qAj )Aj − qφ (15)
m j j
2m m j
X 1
= (pj − qAj )2 + φ. (16)
j
2m

(d) In this section we rename rj → qj as is conventional for the Hamiltonian. The Hamilton’s equations of motion are
∂H 1
i) q̇j = + = (pj − qAj ) (17)
∂pj m
∂H q X ∂Ai ∂φ
ii) ṗj = − = + (pi − qAi ) − (18)
∂qj m i ∂qj ∂qj
This last equation does not look like Lorentz equation, but it is. To see the equivalence one needs to express it again
in terms of mechanical velocity q̇i rather than conjugate momentum pi .

2. A particle of mass m slides down a smooth circular wedge of mass M as shown

in the figure. The wedge rests on a smooth horizontal table. Find (a) the equation
of motion of m and M and (b) the reaction of the wedge on m.

The position of the M p

wedge is X and the position of the m ball is x + X and y,
obeying the constraint x2 + y 2 = R. Therefore
1 1 p
L(x, ẋ, y, ẏ, X, Ẋ; t) = M Ẋ 2 + m[(ẋ + Ẋ)2 + ẏ 2 ] − mgy − λ( x2 + y 2 − R)
2 2
or
1 1 1 p
L= (M + m)Ẋ 2 + mẋ2 + mẏ 2 + mẋẊ − mgy − λ( x2 + y 2 − R) (19)
2 2 2
The equations of motion are
P ≡ (M + m)Ẋ + mẋ = cte, Momentum conservation (20)

y x
mÿ = −mg − λ , mẍ + M Ẍ = −λ (21)
R R
From Eq. (20) Ẍ = −ẍm/(M + m). Plugging this into above
y m2 x
mÿ = −mg − λ , ẍ = −λ (22)
R M +m R
These two differential equations need to be solved together with the constraint.
Parameterizing x = R cos θ and y = R sin θ and parametrizing λ̃ = λ/mR and
ζ = M/m we have

θ̈ cos θ − θ̇2 sin θ = −g/R − λ̃ sin θ, θ̈ sin θ + θ̇2 cos θ = (1 + ζ)λ̃ cos θ (23)
These two equations are generally sill hard to solve. Note that even an normal
pendulum is hard to solve (that is why we often use small angle approximation).
But we can a) eliminate λ̃ between them to find a differential equation only for θ,
which can be in principle solved, at least numerically. Once that is solved, it can be plugged back to find λ. Note
that λ has the dimension of force and it is the force of the constraint (backaction).

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

3. Two equal masses are connected by a string that hangs over two pulleys (of negligible size and mass), as shown in
the figure. The left mass moves in a vertical line, but the right mass is free to swing back and forth in the plane of
the masses and pulleys. Write the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian of the system, and find the Hamilton’s equations
of motion.

This is the constraint problem. Take ` to be the length of the string minus the top part. The distance to the pulley
of the other particle is ` − r but the vertical position of this particle w.r.t the pulley is r − `. Therefore,
1
L(r, ṙ, θ, θ̇; t) = m[(ṙ2 + r2 θ̇2 ) + ṙ2 ] − mg[r − r cos θ] + cte (24)
2
up to some energy constants. As a check, note that for θ = 0, the potential energy drops out which makes sense. The
Euler-Lagrange equations are

∂L d ∂L d
= → −mg(1 − cos θ) + mrθ̇2 = (2mṙ) = 2mr̈ (25)
∂r dt ∂ ṙ dt

∂L d ∂L d
= , → −mgr sin θ = (mr2 θ̇) = mr2 θ̈ + 2mṙθ̇ (26)
∂θ dt ∂ θ̇ dt
Note that the last term is the Coriolis force. All together:

2r̈ = −g(1 − cos θ) + rθ̇2 (27)

2
r θ̈ = −gr sin θ − 2ṙθ̇ (28)

The conjugate momenta are pr = 2mṙ and pθ = mr2 θ̇ as we computed above. The Hamiltonian is

H(r, pr , θ, pθ ; t) = ṙpr + θ̇pθ − L (29)

p2 p2θ
= r + + mgr[1 − cos θ] (30)
4m 2mr2
The Hamilton’s equations of motion are ṙ = ∂pr H = pr /2m and θ̇ = ∂pθ H = pθ /mr2 as well as
∂H ∂H
ṗr = − = −mg(1 − cos θ), ṗθ = − = −mg sin θ (31)
∂r ∂θ

4. A particle of mass m can slide freely along a wire AB whose perpendicular distance to the origin O is h (see
Figure). The line OC rotates about the origin at a constant angular velocity θ̇ = ω. The position of the particle can
be described in terms of the angle θ and the distance q to the point C. If the particle is subject to a gravitational
force, and if the initial conditions are

θ(0) = 0, q(0) = 0, q̇(0) = 0, (32)

(a) Show that the time dependence of the coordinate q is

g
q(t) = (cosh ωt − cos ωt) (33)
2ω 2
(b) Sketch this result.
(c) Compute the Hamiltonian for the system, and compare with the total energy. Is the total energy conserved?

We have

x = h cos θ + q sin θ, y = h sin θ − q cos θ → ẋ2 + ẏ 2 = (q̇ − hθ̇)2 + q 2 θ̇2 (34)

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

Therefore,
1
L(q, q̇; t) = m[(q̇ − hθ̇)2 + q 2 θ̇2 ] − mg[h sin θ − q cos θ] (35)
2
The momentum conjugate to q and the Hamiltonian are

∂L p2 1 2 2
pq = = m(q̇ − hω), H = q̇pq − L = + hωp − q ω − mgq cos θ + mgh sin θ (36)
∂q 2m 2m
This is different from K + U by the blue term. Since θ = ωt the Hamiltonian is explicitly time-dependent ∂t H 6= 0
and thus the energy is not conserved.
Since θ̇ = ω is constant, the Euler-Lagrange equation is [using that θ(t = 0) = 0]
d
mω 2 q + mg cos θ = m(q̇ − hω) → q̈ − qω 2 = g cos(ωt) (37)
dt
There is a homogenous solution and an inhomogeneous solution. The former is of the form q = Aeωt + B −ωt and the
latter is of the form C cos(ωt). But the C is fixed to C = −2g/ω 2 . Therefore, we need to try
2g 2g
q(t) = Aeωt + Be−ωt − cos(ωt), and q̇(t) = ωAeωt − Bωe−ωt + sin(ωt) (38)
ω2 ω
The condition q̇(0) = 0 forces A = B and the condition q(0) = 0 forces it to be A = g/ω 2 , which is the stated result.
I don’t sketch the result, because you just need to plot Eq. (33). The point is that the oscillatory factor is totally
overpowered by the exponential function and the result is not oscillatory.

5. A disk of mass M and radius R rolls without slipping down a plane inclined from the horizontal by an angle α.
The disk has a short weightless axle of negligible radius. From this axis is suspended a simple pendulum of length
` < R and whose bob has a mass m. Consider that the motion of the pendulum takes place in the plane of the disk,
and find Lagrangian, Hamiltonian and Hamilton’s equations of motion.

Let us denote the center of the disk with (X, Y ), its rotated angle with φ and the position of the pendulum bob with
(x, y) and its angle with vertical direction with θ. Then,
 
X = +Rφ cos α x = X + ` sin θ = Rφ cos α + ` sin θ
→ (39)
Y = −Rφ sin α y = Y − ` cos θ = −Rφ sin α − ` cos θ

Therefore,

ẋ = Rφ̇ cos α + `θ̇ cos θ
→ ẋ2 + ẏ 2 = `2 θ̇2 + R2 φ̇2 + 2R`θ̇φ̇ cos(θ − α) (40)
y = −Rφ̇ sin α + `θ̇ sin θ

The Lagrangian is
1
L(θ, θ̇, φ, φ̇; t) = m[`2 θ̇2 + R2 φ̇2 + 2R`θ̇φ̇ cos(θ − α)] + mg[Rφ sin α + ` cos θ] (41)
2
The generalized momenta are
∂L ∂L
pθ = = m`2 θ̇ + mR`φ̇ cos(θ − α), pφ = = mR2 φ̇ + mR`θ̇ cos(θ − α), (42)
∂ θ̇ ∂ φ̇
and the generalized forces are
∂L ∂L
Fθ = = −mR`θ̇φ̇ sin(θ − α) − mg` sin θ, Fφ = = mgR sin α (43)
∂θ ∂φ
and the Euler Lagrange equations are

ṗθ = Fθ , and ṗφ = Fφ (44)

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

Before proceeding we can write

`−1 pθ
    
1 cos(θ − α) `θ̇
=m (45)
R−1 pφ cos(θ − α) 1 Rφ̇
which can be inverted to give
    
`θ̇ 1 1 − cos(θ − α) pθ /`
m = (46)
Rφ̇ sin2 (θ − α) − cos(θ − α) 1 pφ /R
The Hamiltonian is
H = θ̇pθ + φ̇pφ − L (47)
 T   
1 `θ̇ 1 cos(θ − α) `θ̇
= m − mg[Rφ sin α + ` cos θ] (48)
2 Rφ̇ cos(θ − α) 1 Rφ̇
 T   
1 pθ /` 1 − cos(θ − α) pθ /`
= − mg[Rφ sin α + ` cos θ] (49)
2m sin2 (θ − α) pφ /R − cos(θ − α) 1 pφ /R
The Hamilton’s equations of motion are Eqs. (46) and (44). All that is left is to express the generalized forces in terms
of conjugate momenta using Eq. (46). Fφ is constant but Fθ is
1
Fθ = − 3 [`−1 pθ − cos(θ − α)R−1 pφ ][R−1 pφ − cos(θ − α)`−1 pθ ] − mg` sin θ, Fφ = mgR sin α (50)
m sin (θ − α)
This concludes this problem.

6. Consider a Hamiltonian system with generalized coordinates qk and conjugate momenta pk with k = 1 . . . N for
N degrees of freedom. Consider any two continuous functions g(qk , pk ; t) and h(qk , pk ; t). The Poisson Bracket
between g and h is an anti-symmetric operator acting on g and h, defined as
X  ∂g ∂h ∂g ∂h 
[g, h] ≡ − , [g, h] = −[h, g] (51)
∂qk ∂pk ∂pk ∂qk
k

Verify that the following relations hold

dg ∂g
a) = [g, H] + , b) q̇j = [qj , H], ṗj = [pj , H], c) [pi , pj ] = 0, [qi , qj ] = 0, d) [qi , pj ] = δij (52)
dt ∂t

(a) g(qk , pk ; t) is a function of 2N+1 parameters t and {qk , pk }. Therefore, the change dg is generally related to its
arguments via
∂g X  ∂g ∂g 
g(qk , pk ; t) → dg = dt + dqk + dpk (53)
∂t ∂qk ∂pk
k

Dividing this by dt and using the definition of the Poisson bracket we find
dg ∂g X  ∂g dqk ∂g dpk  dg ∂g
= + + → = + [g, H] (54)
dt ∂t ∂qk dt ∂pk dt dt ∂t
k

The rest is easy:

(b) qj can be regarded as a g = qj function that does not explicitly depend on time, but depends on it only implicitly
through qj . Therefore, it’s time derivative is given by the same formula. Same for pj .
(c) We can verify this directly from the definition (crossed terms are zero)
X  ∂p
i ∂pj ∂pi ∂pj
 X  ∂qi ∂qj ∂qi ∂qj 
[pi , pj ] =  −  = 0, [qi , qj ] =  −  =0 (55)
∂qk ∂pk ∂pk 
∂qk ∂qk 
∂pk ∂pk ∂qk
k  k

(d) Again, from the definition,

X  ∂qi ∂pj ∂qi ∂pj  X
[qi , pj ] = −   = δik δjk = δij , X (56)
∂qk ∂pk ∂pk 
∂qk
k k

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

7. This problem has 4-points. Please follow the following instructions:

a. Go to https://jupyter.org/try.
b. Select “Jupyter Notebook” (see figure).
c. From the File menu choose “New” and then choose “Notebook” (see figure)
d. In the next window, select ”Python” as your Kernel (see figure).
e. In the space marked with the blue arrow insert the given Python code.
f. Finally, press the “run” button. What does this code do?
g. Run the code again for various θi to find the maximum height without varying other parameters. Take the picture
of the result for a few θi and submit the result.

Let me leave this to you.

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

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Intermediate Mechanics 3010 Fall 2024 - Assignment VII Due: 10/25/2024, 11:59pm

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