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Physics 321
Solutions for Final Exam

1) 70 pts. Consider a thin disk of radius R with mass distributed uniformly across it, as
shown below:













a) 25 pts. Find the principal moments of inertia (principal axes are as shown on the
diagram). The following integral may be useful:

( )
4
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1
2 sin
8 8
x a x
x a x dx x a a x
a
| |
= +
|
\ .
}


We start with the moment about the x
3
axis. The definition of I
ij
tells us that:

( )
2 2
33 1 2
I x x dv = +
}


This is easiest to evaluate using polar coordinates:

( )
4
2
33
0
2
2 2
4
1
2
R
R
I r r dr
MR
= =
=
}

where M is the mass of the disk.

For I
11
, we find:

( ) ( )
2 2 2
11 2 3 2 2
0
R
R
I x x dv x dx

= + = +
} }



x
1
x
3
x
2
R
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This means we want to integrate across infinitesimal strips parallel to the x
1
axis. The
length of a strip a distance x
2
from the axis is
2 2
2
2 R x , so we have:

2 2 2
11 2 2 2
2
R
R
I x R x dx

=
}


Luckily enough, this is the same form as the integral were given in the problem.
Furthermore, since at the limits of
2
x R = the first term in the solution disappears, so
we have:

4 4
1 1 2
11
1
2 sin sin
8 4 4
R R R R
I MR
R R


( | | | |
= = =
| |
(
\ . \ .


By symmetry, I
22
is the same as I
11
.

b) 15 pts. Assume that at a given instant the angular velocity is in the x
2
-x
3
plane, at an
angle from the x
3
axis. Find the angular momentum.

For principal axes, we know that:

1 1 2 2 3 3
I I I = + + L

The angular velocity vector described here has the following components:

1
2
3
0
sin
cos

=
=
=


So L is:

( )
2
1
sin 2cos
4
MR = + L

c) 30 pts. Find the frequency of precession of the angular velocity defined in part (b).
Assume that no torques act on the disk.

To solve this we use Eulers equations for the zero-torque case:





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Since I
1
and I
2
are equal, this becomes:


So
3
is constant. We can solve the remaining system of equations by taking the time
derivative of the first one:

( )
( )
( )
( )
1 1 1 3 2 3
3 1
2 1 3
1
2
3 1 2
1 1 3 1
1
2
3 1
1 3 1
1
I I I
I I
I
I I
I
I
I I
I




=

=
(

= (
(

This is the equation for simple harmonic motion in
1
, with frequency:

2 2
3 1
3 3 3
2
1
1 1
2 4
1
4
MR MR
I I
I
MR

= = =

2) 70 pts. The planet shown below is spherically symmetric, and consists of a core with
radius r
c
and density
c
surrounded by a mantle that extends to radius r
m
and has density

m
.










r
c

m
r
m
( )
( )
( )
1 1 2 3 2 3
2 2 3 1 1 3
3 3 1 2 1 2
0
0
0
I I I
I I I
I I I



=
=
=

( )
( )
1 1 1 3 2 3
1 2 3 1 1 3
3 3
0
0
0
I I I
I I I
I

=
=
=

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a) 25 pts. Find the gravitational field g and gravitational potential everywhere (both
inside and outside the planet.


Its easiest to find the gravitational field using Gauss Law:

enc
4
S
dA Gm =
}
g n

From the symmetry of the problem, its clear that we should choose a spherical Gaussian
surface. First we take the case where r < r
c
:

enc
2 3
4
4
4
4 4
3
4
3
4

3
S
c
S
c
c
c
dA Gm
g dA G V
r g G r
g G r
G r

=
=
=
=
=
}
}
g n
g r

Now when r
c
< r < r
m
:

( )
( )
( )
( )
enc
2 3 3 3
3 3 3
2
3 3 3
2
3
2
4
4
4 4
4 4
3 3
4
3
4

3
4

3
S
c
S
c c m c
c c m c
c c m c
c
c m m
dA Gm
g dA G V
r g G r r r
G
g r r r
r
G
r r r
r
r
G r
r

=
=
(
= +
(

(
= +

(
= +

(
= +
(

}
}
g n
g r
r

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Finally when r > r
m
:

( )
( )
( )
enc
2 3 3 3
3 3 3
2
3 3 3
2
4
4
4 4
4 4
3 3
4
3
4

3
S
c
S
c c m m c
c c m m c
c c m m c
dA Gm
g dA G V
r g G r r r
r r r
g G
r
r r r
G
r

=
=
(
= +
(

(
+
= (
(

(
+
= (
(

}
}
g n
g r

We find the potential by integrating the field:

first, for r > r
m
:

( )
3 3 3
1
4
3
c c m m c
r r r
G C
r


(
+
= + (
(



We choose C
1
= 0 so that the potential is 0 when r is infinite.

Now for r
c
< r < r
m
:

( )
3 2
2
4
3 2
c m c m
r r
G C
r


(
= +
(



C
2
is chosen so that the potential is continuous at r = r
m
:

( )
3 2 3
2
2
3
2
2
3
2
2
4 4
3 2 3
4
2
3
4
2
3
c m c m m c c
m m
m m
m c
m m
m
m c
m m
m
r r r
G C G r
r r
r
G C G r
r
r
C G r G
r

( (
= + = +
( (

+ =
= +


So the potential in the mantle region is:

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( )
3 2 3
2
4 4
2
3 2 3
c m c m m c
m m
m
r r r
G G r G
r r


(
= +
(



Finally we have the potential when r < r
c
:

2
3
4
6
c
G r C = +

We choose C
3
so that the potential is continuous at r = r
c
:

3
2 2 2
3
3
2 2 2
3
4 4 3 4
2
6 3 2 3
5 4
2 2
3 3
m c
c c c m c m m
m
m c
c c m c m m
m
r
G r C G r G r G
r
r
C G r G r G r G
r

( | |
= + = +
|
(
\ .
= + +


So the potential in this region is:

3
2 2 2 2
4 5 4
2 2
6 3 3
m c
c c c m c m m
m
r
G r G r G r G r G
r

= + +

b) 15 pts. A spaceship is orbiting the planet at a constant radius a from the center (a is
bigger than r
m
). Find the spaceships velocity.

The velocity is such that the force of gravity exactly provides the centripetal acceleration.
Since were above the planets surface, the force of gravity (assuming the spaceship has
mass m) is:

( )
( )
( )
3
3
2
2
3
3
2
3
3
4

3
4
3
4
3
c c m m c
c c m m c
c c m m c
r r r
v
m mG m
a a
r r r
v G
a
r r r
v G
a

(
+
(
= = =
(

(
+
(
=
(

(
+
(
=
(

F g r r


c) 30 pts. The spaceship fires its rockets so that it accelerates in the same direction it was
already traveling, and its speed increases by a factor of 1.5. This acceleration is so fast
that it can be considered instantaneous. Find the energy and angular momentum of the
orbit after the rocket burn.
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The new velocity is:

( ) ( )
( )
3 3
3 3
3
3
3 4 36
2 3 12
3
c c m m c c c m m c
c c m m c
r r r r r r
v G G
a a
r r r
G
a

( (
+ +
( (
= =
( (

(
+
(
=
(



Since this velocity is perpendicular to the displacement of the spacecraft from the center
of the planet, the angular momentum is:

( )
3
3
3
c c m m c
l mv a m Ga r r r
(
= = +
(



The kinetic energy is:

( )
3
3
2
1 3
2 2
c c m m c
r r r
T mv m G
a

(
+
(
= =
(



while the potential energy is:

( )
3
3
4
3
c c m m c
r r r
U m m G
a


(
+
(
= =
(



So the total energy is now:

( )
( )
3
3
3
3
3 4
2 3
6
c c m m c
c c m m c
r r r
E T U m G
a
r r r
m G
a

(
+
| |
(
= + =
|
(
\ .

(
+
(
=
(



Since this is positive, the spaceship has escaped from the planets gravitational field.
3) 60 pts. Two identical pendulums of length l with mass b are connected by an ideal
spring with spring constant k. When both pendulums are hanging straight down, the
spring is at its equilibrium length.

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a) 40 pts. Find the Lagrangian and Hamitonian equations of motion.

Take the angle from vertical of each pendulum,
1 2
and , as the generalized
coordinates. Then we have:

1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
sin ; cos
sin ; cos
x l y l
x l y l


= =
= =


The kinetic energy of the system is:

( )
2 2 2
1 2
1
2
T ml = +



While the potential energy is:

( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( )
2 2
1 2 1 2 1 2
2 2
1 2 1 2 1 2
2 2 2 2
1 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2
1 2 1 2 1
1
2
1
cos cos sin sin cos cos
2
1
cos cos sin 2sin sin sin cos 2cos cos cos
2
1
cos cos 2 1 cos cos sin si
2
U mgy mgy k x x y y
mgl kl
mgl kl
mgl kl



(
= + + +

(
= + + +

( = + + + + +

= + + + ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
2
1 2 1 2
n
1
cos cos 2 1 cos
2
mgl kl

(

( = + +


Therefore the Lagrangian is:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 2 2
1 2 1 2 1 2
1 1
cos cos 2 1 cos
2 2
L T U ml mgl kl ( = = + + +




And Lagranges equations of motion are:

l
l
m

m

k
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( ) ( )
( )
( )
2
1 1 2 1
1 1
2
1 1 2 1
1 1 2 1
sin sin
sin sin 0
sin sin 0
L d L d
mgl kl ml
dt dt
mgl kl ml
mg kl ml





=

= =
=

( ) ( )
( )
( )
2
2 1 2 2
2 2
2
2 1 2 2
2 1 2 2
sin sin
sin sin 0
sin sin 0
L d L d
mgl kl ml
dt dt
mgl kl ml
mg kl ml





= +

= + =
+ =

For the Hamiltonian, we begin by noting that the system is scleronomic, so we can write:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 2 2
1 2 1 2 1 2
1 1
cos cos 2 1 cos
2 2
H T U ml mgl kl ( = + = + + +




To express this in the proper variables, we need to find the momenta conjugate to
1 2
and :

1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1 2
2
2
2
2 2
L
p ml
p
ml
L
p ml
p
ml

= =

= =

So that:

( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
1 2
1 2
2 2
2
1 2 1 2 2 2
2 2
1 2 1 2 2
1 1
cos cos 2 1 cos
2 2
1 1
cos cos 2 1 cos
2 2
p p
H ml mgl kl
ml ml
p p mgl kl
ml




| |
| | | |
( | = + + +
| |

|
\ . \ .
\ .
( = + + +



Hamiltons equations of motion are therefore:

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( )
( )
1
2
1
1
2
2
1 1 2
1
2 1 2
2
1 2
2 2
sin sin
sin sin
H
p mgl kl
H
p mgl kl
p
H
p ml
p
H
p ml

= =

= =

= =

= =

b) 20 pts. Consider the case of small oscillations. Find the normal frequencies for this
system.

We start from Lagranges equations of motion, for the case where
1 2
and are both
small:


( )
( )
1 1 2 1
2 1 2 2
0
0
mg kl ml
mg kl ml


=
+ =

We assume oscillatory solutions:

( )
( )
1
2
i t
i t
t Ae
t Be

=
=


Plugging these back into the equations of motion we get:

( )
( )
( )
( )
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
mgA kl A B mlA
mgB kl A B mlB
ml mg kl A klB
klA ml mg kl B

+ =
+ + =
+ + =
+ + =


This has a solution when:

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( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( )
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
mgA kl A B mlA
mgB kl A B mlB
ml mg kl A klB
klA ml mg kl B
ml mg kl kl
kl ml mg kl
ml mg kl kl
ml mg kl kl
mg kl kl
ml

+ =
+ + =
+ =
+ =

=

=
=
+
=


So the eigenfrequencies are:

2
or
g mg kl
l ml

+
=