Classical Nechanics - Nouule 4

Talking Points anu Solutions

}on Spaluing
Septembei 28, 2uu9

1. Equations of Constiaint: It is easiei to solve foi equations of motion of an
object if you can effectively ieuuce the numbei of equations. The simplest
example is an object moving in S uimensions, but constiaineu to move in a
stiaight line. In this way a S uimensional pioblem is ieuuceu to a 1
uimensional pioblem. So Equations of Constiaint aie a way to ieuuce the
numbei of uimensions in the pioblem.
a. This constiaint conveits S-uimensional motion to 2-uimensions, i.e.
on the suiface of the spheie:
!
0 = R
2
" x
2
" y
2
" z
2
.

b. 0iuinaiily, a uisk (oi any non-point mass) has 6 uegiees of fieeuom
(oi uimensions) that uesciibe its motion: S tianslation, anu S iotation.
So foi the uisk iolling on the suiface of a cylinuei, the S tianslation
uegiees of fieeuom aie ieuuceu to 2:
!
0 = (6R)
2
" x
2
" y
2
anu the S
iotation uegiees of fieeuom aie ieuuceu to u, as the uisk is
constiaineu to be stuck on it's euge, i.e. can't fall ovei, anu it's angle of
iotation (oi iate of iotation) is uiiectly ielateu to it's position on the
cylinuei anu initial position anu oiientation. We can iepiesent this
mathematically by

!
R
"#
"t
=
!
v
!
v =
!
v . If we allow the uisk to spin
about an axis peipenuiculai to the suiface (i.e. 1 uegiee of fieeuom in
iotation), the equations of motion coulu become complex.

c. Bolonomic constiaints aie equations connecting the cooiuinates of
paiticles as a function of time (oi not a function of time). Both cases a.
anu b. aie holonomic constiaints.
u. Both constiaints a. anu b. aie scleionomic, i.e. not explicitly containing
time.

2. ueneializeu cooiuinates: Any set of quantities that completely specifies the
state of the system. The best set of geneializeu cooiuinates allows one to
inteipiet anu analyze the system most easily. Finuing a goou set of
geneializeu cooiuinates is an ait.
a. The motion of the two masses can be completely uesciibeu by 2
cooiuinates: x, the hoiizontal position of the weuge, anu x', the
position of the smallei mass with iespect to the weuge, as shown
below. In this way, a 6 uegiee of fieeuom pioblem is ieuuceu to 2.


b. The uisk's position can be completely uesciibeu with S paiameteis:
x,y, anu !, i.e. the two hoiizontal cooiuinates, anu the angle of the axis
of iotation.
c. Two paiameteis: !1, the angle of the uppei penuulum with iespect to
veitical; anu !2, the angle of the lowei penuulum with iespect to
eithei veitical oi with iespect to the cuiient angle of the uppei
penuulum. Note that the length of the vectoi fiom the uppei
penuulum to it's attachment point is constant, as is the length of the
vectoi fiom the seconu mass to the fiist mass; the 6-uimensional
system is constiaineu to 2 uimensions.

u. 0ne geneializeu cooiuinate shoulu suffice, ", which is the angulai
cooiuinate of the mass with iespect to an aibitiaiy point on the hoop
(in the pictuie, " is measuieu with iespect to
!

" , the uiiection in which
the hoop is moving.)

e. The position of the mass with iespect to the position of the point, in
spheiical-polai cooiuinates:

!
!
" =
!
r #
!
p = "

" +$

$ + %

% .

S. All but e) have equations of constiaint: a) is iheonomic, b) is scleionomic, c)
is iheonomic, u) is iheonomic.
4. Fiist plot the function. 0ne can leain a lot by simply inspecting the giaph of
the function.

a. Equilibiium points aie wheie F = u, i.e. wheie the giaph ciosses the x-
axis. So solve foi the u's of the equation to get the equilibiium points:
!
x(x " 3)(x "1) = 0 with u's at x=u,1,S.
b. Now, on the giaph, uiaw aiiows to the left in iegions wheie F is
negative anu aiiows to the iight wheie F is positive; this is the
uiiection that the foice points in. Stable points have aiiows on both
siues pointing towaius the point (x=1) anu unstable points have
aiiows both pointing away (x=u,S). I.e. the fiist ueiivative is negative
in stable iegions, anu positive in unstable iegions. Points at which the
ueiivative is negative on one siue anu positive on the othei aie quasi-
stable.
c. The motion is unbounueu, as the foice incieases the fuithei one gets
fiom equilibiium.

S. 0se "uauss's law foi uiavitation" fiom pg. S9 of Piof. Cline's textlectuie
notes; iefei to section 2.2.S of uiiffith's text, "Intiouuction to
Electiouynamics." The flux of giavitational fielu lines thiough a given closeu
suiface is piopoitional to the encloseu mass (aka souice of giavitational fielu
lines). Foi this anu othei pioblems, one ielies on the symmetiy of the
uaussian suiface (s in the equation below) to make the pioblem much easiei
to solve. In this case, the uaussian suiface is a cylinuei, in accoiuance with
the symmetiy of the mass in the pioblem.

!
"=
!
g d
!
s
s
##
= $4%G &dv
V
###

a. Attack this pioblem foi each iegion:
i < a:
Since the mass encloseu is u, then

!
"=
!
g d
!
s
s
##
= 0 anu eithei

!
!
g d
!
s = 0 oi

!
!
g = 0;

!
!
g d
!
s = 0 only occuis if g is paiallel to the
uaussian suiface at all locations; but since giavity is a
conseivative foice this is impossible at eveiy point on the
suiface. So g is u insiue the cylinuei.


a < i < b;
This time put the uaussian suiface within the iegion a < i < b
anu solve foi g. Note that uue to symmetiy, we can assume that

!
!
g d
!
s = gds. This iesults in a ielation foi the net flux thiough
the suiface as a function of g at that location, which is still
unueteimineu.

!
"=
!
g d
!
s
s
##
= dz
0
h
#
g(r)rd$
0
2%
#
= 2%hrg(r)
Next we set this net flux equal to
!
"4#G $dv
V
%%%
= "4#G dz
0
h
%
k
r
hrdr
a
r
%
d&
0
2#
%
= "8#
2
Ghk(r " a);
Set the two quantities equal to each othei anu solve foi g(i), to
get
!
g(r) = "4#Gk
(r " a)
r
. Note that the cylinuei height cancels
out, but only if the cylinuei can be assumeu to be infinite
height (it makes the pioblem moie symmetiic).


i > b;
This time volume integial has limits of a anu b, iathei than i;
anu the suiface integial is unalteieu. 0sing the same methou as
foi a < i < b gives us
!
g(r) = "4#Gk
(b " a)
r
.


b. Potential is the line integial of the fielu fiom a point of iefeience (in
this case the oiigin) to the point i; symmetiy yet again makes the
integial easiei foi us.

!
!
g d
!
r
ref
p
"
= g(r)dr = #4$Gk
(r # a)
r
dr
a
b
"
0
r
"
= #4$Gk(1#
a
r
)dr
a
b
"

The iesult is
!
"4#Gk[(b " a) + ln
a
b
]
6. Let's stait with a pictuie of the pioblem:

a. Fiist use Newton's law to solve the motion with no uamping:
!
m
d
2
x
dt
2
= "2kx ; set
!
x = Acos(wt); substitute into Newton's law anu finu
that
!
w = 2k / m .

b. Bamping always geneiates a negative foice, which we assume is
piopoitional to velocity:
!
m
d
2
x
dt
2
= "2kx "c
dx
dt
. Now we uiviue by m,
substitute w fiom befoie, anu set the coefficient of uxut to be 2#;
!
d
2
x
dt
2
+ 2"
dx
dt
+ w
2
x = 0. In the pioblem statement, it inuicates the
system is unueiuampeu. Theiefoie
!
w
2
> "
2
anu we can use equation
S.S7 in Thointon anu Naiion; it appeais fiom that equation that
!
x(t) "e
#$t
, as uepicteu in the figuie below; then, fiom equation S.S8,
the uampeu fiequency is
!
w
1
= w
0
2
"#
2
; Set
!
2"n = w
1
t anu solve foi t
coiiesponuing to the n
th
oscillation. Substitute this into
!
x(t) "e
#$t
anu
solve foi # coiiesponuing to an amplituue of V:

!
t =
2"n
w
2
#$
2
;
!
1
2
= e
"#
2$n
w
2
"#
2
;
!
" =
ln(2)w
2#n
1+
ln(2)w
2#n
$
%
&
'
(
)
2
.


c. Now that we have #, simply set
!
1
4
= e
"#t
anu solve foi t, which is
!
t =
2ln2
"
.