UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE

SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL AND MINERAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

DEGREE AND DIPLOMA EXAMINATION MAY/JUNE: 2019

MODULE: SPHA021 PAPER: P

(CLASSICAL MECHANICS)

TIME: 3 HOURS MARKS: 100

INTERNAL EXAMINER: DR NL LETHOLE

SECOND EXAMINER: MR MF PHALA

THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF …5…PAGES INCLUDING COVER PAGE

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Answer all the questions.

2. Write neatly and legibly.
3. Show your work and calculations clearly.
4. Unless otherwise stated, all symbols retain their usual meanings.
5. Use of pocket calculator is allowed.
 SPHA021 MAY/JUNE EXAMINATION 2019

QUESTION 1 [25]

1.1. Define the following:

1.1.1. Free Vector. (2)
1.1.2. Position vector. (2)
1.1.3. The negative of a vector. (2)

1.2. Find real numbers 𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦 and 𝑧𝑧 such that;

𝑥𝑥𝚤𝚤̅ + 2𝑦𝑦𝚥𝚥̅ − 𝑧𝑧𝑘𝑘� + 3𝚤𝚤̅ − 𝚥𝚥̅ = 4𝚤𝚤̅ + 3𝑘𝑘�. (5)

1.3. Suppose that 𝐴𝐴̅, 𝐵𝐵� and 𝐶𝐶̅ are vectors in ℝ3 with (𝐶𝐶̅ × 𝐵𝐵� ) ∙ 𝐴𝐴̅ = −4. Find
(5)
𝐴𝐴̅ ∙ [(𝐵𝐵� + 𝐶𝐶̅ ) × (𝐶𝐶̅ + 𝐴𝐴̅)].

1.4. If 𝐴𝐴̅ = 2𝚤𝚤̅ + 3𝚥𝚥̅ + 4𝑘𝑘� and 𝐵𝐵� = 𝚤𝚤̅ – �𝚥𝚥 + 𝑘𝑘�, Find:
1.4.1. 𝐴𝐴̅ × 𝐵𝐵�. (3)
1.4.2. The angle between 𝐴𝐴̅ and 𝐵𝐵�. (4)
1.4.3. Unit vector perpendicular to each vector. (2)

[25]

QUESTION 2 [25]

2.1. Define the following:

2.1.1. Center of mass of a system. (2)
2.1.2. Degrees of freedom. (2)

2.2. Consider a system of n particles of masses 𝑚𝑚1 , 𝑚𝑚2 , 𝑚𝑚3 , … , 𝑚𝑚𝑛𝑛 situated at points
𝑃𝑃1 , 𝑃𝑃2 , 𝑃𝑃3 , … , 𝑃𝑃𝑛𝑛 with position vectors 𝒓𝒓1 , 𝒓𝒓2 , 𝒓𝒓3 , … , 𝒓𝒓𝑛𝑛 as shown in figure 2.1 below.

2|Page
 SPHA021 MAY/JUNE EXAMINATION 2019

Figure 2.1

Show that:
2.2.1. a center of mass (cm) exists. (8)
2.2.2. there is only one center of mass. (6)

2.3. An object weighing 120 N is set on a rigid beam of negligible mass at a distance of
3 m from a pivot as shown in figure 2.2 below. A vertical force is to be applied to the
other end to keep the beam at rest and horizontal. What is the magnitude F of the force
required?

(4)

Figure 2.2
2.4. The angular position of a particle is given by: 𝜃𝜃 = (2.0 rad/s2 )𝑡𝑡 2 . What will be the
instantaneous angular velocity at t = 3.5 s? (3)

[25]

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 SPHA021 MAY/JUNE EXAMINATION 2019

QUESTION 3 [25]

3.1. State the goal of Euclidean geodesic problem. (2)

3.2. Consider a projection of a uniform circular motion as shown in figure 3.1 below and
show that:

𝑘𝑘
𝜔𝜔 = � .
𝑚𝑚

(8)

Figure 3.1

3.3. Consider a load oscillating on spring scale about the equilibrium position with a period
of T = 0.500 s. The amplitude of the vibration is A = 2.00 cm (path length is 4.00 cm).
Find following:

3.3.1. frequency of oscillation. (2)

3.3.2. the maximum acceleration. (4)
3.3.3. the maximum velocity. (3)
3.3.4. the acceleration when the displacement is 1.500 cm. (3)
3.3.5. the velocity when the displacement is 1.500 cm. (3)

[25]

QUESTION 4 [25]

4.1. Explain the difference between a partial derivative and a full derivative. (4)

4.2. State the Hamilton’s principle in words and its equation representation. (3)

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 SPHA021 MAY/JUNE EXAMINATION 2019

4.3. If the Lagrangian L(q, q̇ , t) is the difference of the kinetic and potential energies for a
system, and we define the action S = S(q) from time t1 to t 2 , where q = (𝑞𝑞1 , … . , 𝑞𝑞𝑛𝑛 )T,
to be the functional,
t
S = ∫t 2 L(q, q̇ , t)dt.
1

Considering small variation of the system at the extremum, derive the Lagrangian of
the action.
(8)
4.4. The Hamiltonian is always written as a function of (q k , pk , t) and Lagrangian as a
function of (q k , q̇ k , t). Given that
∂L ∂L
pj = and ṗ j = ,
∂q̇ j ∂q j
derive the following Hamiltonian equations;
∂H ∂H
q̇ k = and ṗ k = −
∂pk ∂q k
(10)
[25]

00000000000000000000000000000000000END00000000000000000000000000000000000

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