CO-480 Analytical Mechanics

Fall Semester 2022 Peter Schupp

Problem set 12 sample solution

33. 1-D model of CO2 [6 points]

(a) For the kinetic energy:
  
m 0 0 ẋ1
1 1 1 1 1
mẋ21 + M ẋ22 + mẋ23 = 0  ẋ2  = ⃗x˙ T m⃗x˙


T = ẋ1 ẋ2 ẋ3 0 M
2 2 2 2 2 e
0 0 m ẋ3

Potential energy:
  
k −k 0 x1
1 2 1 2 1 1
−k  x2  = ⃗xT k⃗x


V = k (x2 − x1 ) + k (x3 − x2 ) = x1 x2 x3 −k 2k
2 2 2 2 e
0 −k k x3

So the Lagrangian is:

  1 1
L ⃗x, ⃗x˙ = T − V = ⃗x˙ T · m · ⃗x˙ − ⃗xT · k · ⃗x
2 e 2 e
For the EOM, we need to differentiate our Lagrangean. We can do this rigorously (with e.g., expanding the matrix
multiplication and taking each partial derivative respectively) or by recognizing that xT · A · x is a quadratic equation
d T
(and thus x · A · x = 2A · x):
dx
      
m 0 0 ẍ1 k −k 0 x1
m⃗ẍ + k⃗x = 0 ⇒  0 M 0  · ẍ2  + −k 2k −k  x2  = 0
e e 0 0 m ẍ3 0 −k k x3

(b) Using the ansatz introduced during the lectures, the problem reduces to solving the characteristic equation:
 2 
−ω m + k −k 0
det −ω 2 m + k = 0 ⇒ det  −ω 2 M + 2k


−k −k =0
e e 0 −k −ω 2 m + k






So: −ω 2 m + k −ω 2 M + 2k −ω 2 m + k − 2k 2 = −ω 2 m + k ω 2 ω 2 M m − (M + 2m) k = 0. So the solutions:
r s  
k k 2m
ω1 = 0; ω2 = ; ω3 = 1+
m m M

⃗ = 0.

α
In order to find the eigenmodes we need to solve the set of equations ωα2 m + k · A
e e
i) For ω1 we get k · A ⃗ 1 = a (1, 1, 1)T . This is a pure
⃗ 2 = 0 which implies A1 = A1 = A1 = a so the solution reads A
1 2 3
translation mode
e (and, hence, ω = 0)
1

ii) For ω2 we get:

   2  
0 −k 0 A1 1
−k 2k − k M ⃗2 = b  0 
−k  · A22  = 0 ⇒ A22 = 0, A21 = −A23 = a ⇒ A
m
0 −k 0 A23 −1

iii) For ω3 we get:

 2m   3  
−k M −k 0 A1 1
2m 3 2m ⃗ 3 = c − 2m  = 0
 −k −k M
m −k  A32  = 0 ⇒ A31 = A33 = c A32 = − A1 = − c⇒A M
M M
0 −k −k 2m
M
A33 1

⃗ α )T · m · A
We can now normalize the modes (A ⃗ α = 1 which will result in
e
     
1 1 1
⃗1 = q 1
A 1 ; A ⃗ 2 = √1  0  ; A ⃗3 = q 1 − 2m 
M
M
2+ m 1 2 −1 2+ 4m
1
M

The result obtained for ω1 shows no oscillations just a rigid body translation. For the ω2 the mass M does not move.
The results are illustrated on the picture below:
 Figure 1: Sketch for the normal modes of CO2 molecule

34. Small oscillations

a) We want to obtain the EOM written in the matrix form. mẍ + k x = 0, ẍ = −ω 2 x. For the solutions to exist, m, k are
symmetric matrices. e e e e
Express kinetic and potential energy and as discussed in class find m and k :
e e
 
1 1 1 4m 0
T = (4m) ẋ21 + ẋ22 = ẋT mẋ ⇒ m =
2 2 2 e e 0 m
 
1 1 1
1 4k −k
V = (3k) x21 + k(x2 − x1 )2 = 4kx21 − x1 x2 − x2 x1 + k22 = xT k x ⇒ k =
2 2 2 2 e e −k k

b) In order to
find eigenmodes we need to find eigenvalues (ω) of the matrix: det −ω 2 m + k = 0, since our EOM reads
−ω 2 m + k x = 0: e e
e e
4k − 4mω 2
 
−k
2
−ω 2 m + k = ⇒ 4 k − mω 2 − k 2 = 0 ⇒


2
e e −k k − mω
k 3k
k − 2mω 2 3k − 2mω 2 = 0 ⇒ ω12 = ; ω22 =



2m 2m


Knowing the frequency eigenvalues it is easy to find the eigenmodes by solving −ωi2 m + k ⃗vi = 0: Hence:
e e
    
2k −k v11 ! ⃗ 1
⃗v1 : = 0 ⇒ ⃗v1 = a
−k k2 v12 2
    
−2k −k v21 ! ⃗ 1
⃗v2 : k = 0 ⇒ ⃗v2 = b
−k − 2 v 22 −2

Figure 2: Sketch of the eigenmodes

c) We can find the constants a, b and check that the modes are orthonormal by forming the matrix A = (⃗v1 , ⃗v2 ) and use
the condition of orthonormality, namely m-matrix orthonormalizes A, i.e. AT mA = I, where I is the identity matrix.
e e
         
a b T a 2a T a 2a 4m 0 a b ! 1 0
A= A = ⇒ A mA = =
2a −2b b −2b e b −2b 0 m 2a −2b 0 1

8ma2
      
a 2a 4ma 4mb 0 ! 1 0 1
= = ⇒a=b= √
b −2b 2ma −2mb 0 8mb2 0 1 8m
     
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
⃗v1 = √ ; ⃗v2 = √ ; AN = √
8m 2 8m −2 8m 2 −2

d) Following the discussion from the class the normal coordinates satisfying the condition Q̈i + ωi2 Qi = 0 are found using
⃗ = AT mx hence:
Q N       r  
e
⃗ Q1 1 1 2 4m 0 x1 m 2x1 + x2
Q= = √ =
Q2 8m 1 −2 0 m x2 2 2x1 − x2