Classical Mechanics

Unit 1
2 Mark

1. Explain generalized coordinates of the system with example.

2. What is meant by degrees of freedom.
3. Explain different types of constraints with suitable examples.
4. Explain scleronomic and rhenomic systems with examples.
5. State d’alemberts principle.
6. Write a short note on virtual displacement.
7. Explain Hamilton’s principle.
8. Explain cyclic (or) ignorable coordinates.
9. List out the advantage of cyclic coordinates over generalized coordinates.
10. State work energy theorem.
11. Write the Lagrange’s equation for holonomic systems.

7 Marks

1. Prove that the rolling disk is an example for non-holonomic system.

2. State and prove work energy theorem.
3. Find the Lagrange’s equation for harmonic oscillator which can move on straight line.
4. Derive the equation of motion for a simple pendulum of length l and mass of bob m by using
Lagrange’s equation.
5. Show that the shortest curve between two points in a plane is a straight line.
6. Find the curve for which the surface of revolution is minimum.
7. Find the Lagrange’s equation of motion for atwood’s machine.
8. Find the Lagrange’s equation of motion for spherical pendulum.
9. Explain the variation principle and derive a expression (using Lemma integral) equation of
motion.
10. Explain conservation theorem and extend the theorem to find the cyclic coordinates of the
system.
11. Explain the Hamiltonian function from Lagrangian function or prove that L is a function of
(𝑞, 𝑞̇ , 𝑡) and H is a function of (𝑝, 𝑞, 𝑡).
12. Show that the total energy of a system is always a constant if the Lagrange’s is independent
of time.
13. Establish the Hamiltonian (T.E) and Hamilton’s equation of motion for a (i) simple pendulum
and (ii) linear harmonic oscillator.

15 Mark

1. Derive the Lagrange’s equation for a holonomic system.

2. Use Lagrange’s equation to find the equation of compound pendulum in a vertical plane
about a fixed horizontal axis. Hence, find the time period of small amplitude of oscillation.
3. Using Lagrange’s equation construct find the equation of motion for double pendulum.
4. Using Hamiltonian principle, derive Hamiltonian equation.
 Central force problem

2 mark

1. What do you mean by the reduced mass of a two – particle system.

2. State kepler’s 1st law.
3. State keplar’s 2nd law.
4. State keplers law of area.
5. State kepler’s 3rd law.
6. State kepler’s law of time period.
7. Define impact parameter.
8. Define differential scattering cross – section.
9. Define angle of scattering.

7 mark

1. Explain how the two – body problem is reduced into one – body problem, by using the
concept of reduced mass.
2. Solve the Lagrangian equation foe spherical polar co – ordinate and prove that angular
momentum is constant.
3. By solving the Lagrangian equation show that the areal velocity is always constant.
4. Derive differential equation for an orbit.
5. With necessary equation derive invers square law.
6. State kepler’s law of time period and deduce the necessary equation and prove it.
7. State and prove virial theorem.
8. Define differential scattering cross – section.
9. Explain the transformation of scattering problem to laboratory co – ordinates.

15mark

1. Show that the total energy of the system under central potential (V) is a in accordance with
law of conservation of energy.
2. By solving differential equation of an orbit, deduce the Kepler’s law of orbit and show that
total energy of the system show be negative.
3. State and prove ke Discuss the scattering of α – particle Kepller’s 1st law of orbit.
4. Discuss the scattering of α – particles under a central force field and hence obtain the
expression for Rutherford scattering cross – section.
5. Discuss the α – particle scattering in coulomb field and derive an expression for scattering
cross section.
 UNIT 3: MECHANICS OF RIGID BODIES

SECTION A
1. Write the components of angular velocity in terms of Euler angles
2. What is a Coriolis force?
3. What is a symmetrical top?
4. Give the expression for Coriolis force.
5. What do you mean by nutation?
6. Express the kinetic energy of a rigid body in terms of moment of Inertia tensor.
7. Define Euler angles.
8. Write the Euler’s equations for a torque free motion of a rigid body.
9. What is a fast top?
10. Define the term Precession.
11. What do you understand by Coriolis force?
12. Derive the correlation between angular momentum and kinetic energy.
13. Find an expression for kinetic energy of a rigid body in terms of moment of inertia
tensor.

SECTION B
1. Derive the relation between angular momentum and kinetic energy. Also explain
moment of inertia tensor of a rigid body.
2. Obtain the expression for kinetic energy of a rotating body?
3. Derive the relation for angular momentum and inertia tensor of a rigid body.
4. Give an account of Coriolis force.
5. Write a note on the force-free motion of a symmetrical top.
6. Derive Euler’s angles.
7. Derive an expression for the Coriolis force and state any one example as an
illustration of the Coriolis force.
8. Obtain Euler’s equations of motion for a rotating rigid body with a fixed point.
9. Find the kinetic energy of rotation of a rigid body with respect to principal axes in
terms of Euler’s angles.
10. Simplify an expression for Coriolis force and state any one example as an illustration
of the Coriolis force.
11. Define Euler angles and obtain an expression for the complete transformation
matrix.
SECTION C
1. Define Euler angles and obtain an expression for the complete transformation
matrix.
2. Discuss the motion of a symmetrical top under the action of gravity.
3. Obtain Euler’s equation of motion for a rotating rigid body fixed at a point.
4. Discuss the force free motion of symmetric top.
5. Arrive at the Euler’s angle of motion.
6. Discuss about the angular momentum and kinetic energy of a rigid body.
7. Discuss the motion of a symmetric top under the action of gravity and derive the
expressions of its total energy.
8. Discuss the theory of a spinning symmetrical top.
9. Discuss the motion of symmetrical top under the action of gravity.
10. Discuss the motion of a symmetric top under the action of gravity and derive the
expressions of its total energy.
 UNIT 4: CANONICAL TRANSFORMATIONS

SECTION A
1. What is poisson bracket?
2. State Noether’s Theorem.
3. State Hamilton-Jacobi theorem.
4. Write the relativistic Hamiltonian for a free particle.
5. State Hamilton’s Variational principle.
6. Show that the transformation Q= p, P=q is canonical.
7. How is a generating function identified?
8. State any two properties of Poisson bracket.
9. State the condition for a transformation to be canonical.
10. Give the Hamilton-Jacobi equation.
11. Write down the advantages of canonical transformations.
12. State any two applications of Hamilton’s canonical equation of motion.
13. Prove that the generating function F = ∑qipi generates the identity transformation.
14. Define Canonical transformations.
15. Mention the advantages of canonical transformations.

SECTION B
1. Find the generating function F(p,Q) for the transformation Q = ((q)^1/2) cos2p ,
P = (q^2) sin2p.
2. Find the generating function F(q,Q) for the transformation p=1/Q q= PQ^2.
3. Show that the transformation P = q cotp and Q= log(sin p/q) is canonical.
4. Explain in detail Hamilton-Jacobi equation.
5. Obtain the relativistic Hamilton function for a free particle.
6. Show that the transformation

P = ½(p^2 + q^2) , Q = tan^-1 (q/p) is canonical.

7. Deduce Hamilton’s Canonical equation of motion by the simplest method.

8. For a certain canonical transformation, it is known that
Q= (q^2 +p^2)^1/2 F= ½ (q^2 +p^2)tan^-1 (q/p)+ ½ qp. Find P(q,p) and F(q,Q).
9. Derive the equation of motion in Poisson Bracket form.
10. Show that the transformation Q=1/p and P = qp^2 is canonical.
11. Derive equations of motion in terms of Poisson brackets.
12. Derive an equation of motion in poisson bracket formalism.
13. Show that the following transformations are canonical (i) where Q= p , P=-q (ii) when
Q=qtanp, P=logsinp.
14. Deduct the equation of motion in Poisson Bracket form.
15. Show that the transformation P =log sin p and Q = q tan p is canonical.
SECTION C
1. Obtain the solution for harmonic oscillator problem using Hamilton Jacobi method.
2. Arrive at the solution of the Harmonic oscillator using Hamilton-Jacobi method.
3. a) Obtain Hamilton’s canonical equation of motion.
b) What is the physical significance of Hamiltonian function.

4. a) Show that Poisson bracket of two functions F and G does not obey commutative law but

obeys distributive law of algebra.

b) Obtain the equation of motion in Poisson- Bracket form.

5. Give an account on Hamilton Jacobi theorem. Illustrate the solution of harmonic oscillator
problem by Hamilton Jacobi method.

6. Outline Hamilton-Jacobi theorem. Solve the problem of one dimensional Harmonic oscillator.

7. What is a linear harmonic oscillator? Solve the problem of linear harmonic oscillator through
Hamilton Jacobi theory.

8. Illustrate the solution of harmonic oscillator problem by Hamilton Jacobi method.

Give an account on Hamilton Jacobi theorem.

 UNIT 5: SMALL OSCILLATIONS

SECTION A
1. What is an unstable equilibrium?
2. What are normal modes?
3. State the types of equilibrium.
4. Define the normal modes of vibration of the system.
5. How many independent modes of vibrations are possible with a system of N coupled
oscillators with N degree of freedom.
6. What is coupled system?
7. Discuss between stable and unstable equilibrium in the context of small oscillations.
8. Write down the secular equation for small oscillations.
9. What do you mean by stable and unstable equilibrium.
10. What are normal co-ordinates?

SECTION B
1. Find the normal frequencies of two coupled oscillator.
2. Write a note on the general theory of small oscillations.
3. Distinguish between stable and unstable equilibrium.
4. Obtain the Lagrangian of the two coupled oscillators.
5. What are normal co-ordinates? Deduce the kinetic and potential energy in normal
co-ordinates.
6. Two identical harmonic oscillators are coupled together. Set up the equations of
motion.
7. Show that when the kinetic and potential energies are expressed in terms of normal
co-ordinates, both kinetic and potential energies are homogeneous quadratic
functions.
8. Discuss the general theory of small oscillations and hence obtain the secular
equation.
9. Derive the solution of two coupled oscillator.
10. Determine the Lagrangian for a system of two coupled oscillators.
11. Distinguish between stable and unstable equilibrium?

SECTION C
1. Discuss the vibrations of a linear triatomic molecule.
2. Obtain the eigen-frequencies and eigen=functions for a tri-atomic molecule.
3. Find the normal frequencies for a linear triatomic molecule, by the method of small
oscillation.
4. Two equal masses are joined by a string. The opposite ends of the masses are
connected to two fixed parallel walls situated on the opposite sides of the rwo
masses. If all the three strings are excatly similar and coaxial to one another, obtain
the Lagrangian for the two coupled oscillators.
5. Give an example for lineat triatomic molecule. Discuss the theory of oscillation for a
linear triatomic molecule with different modes of oscillations.
6. Explain general theory of small oscillations.