LAGRANGIAN MECHANICS

By

Mr. LT Selepe
 Unconstrained systems

• If the particles of S are free to move anywhere in

space independently of each other then S is said to be
an unconstrained system. In this special case, the
equations of motion for S are simply Newton’s
equations for the N individual particles.
• Suppose that the typical particle has mass ,
position vector and velocity . Then the
equations of motion for the system S are
(i = 1 . . . ,N),
where is the force acting on the particle .
 Constrained systems

Unconstrained mechanical systems are relatively

rare. They involve mechanical systems that are
subject to geometrical or kinematical
constraints. Geometrical constraints are those
that involve only the position vectors ;
kinematical constraints involve the as well .
 Constrained systems cont…

Some typical constraints are as follows:

 The bob of a pendulum must remain a fixed distance from the

point of support.
 The particles of a rigid body must maintain fixed distances from
each other.
 A particle sliding on a wire must not leave the wire.
 The contact particle of a body rolling on a fixed surface must be at
rest.
These, and all other constraints, are enforced by constraint forces.
Constraint forces are not part of the specification of a system and are
therefore unknown.
 Constrained systems cont…

For constrained systems the straightforward approach

of using the Newton equations runs into the following
difficulties:
 The equations of motion do not incorporate the
constraints
The Newton equations (in Cartesian coordinates) do not
incorporate the constraints. These must therefore be
included in the form of additional conditions to be
solved simultaneously with the dynamical equations.
 Constrained systems cont…
 The constraint forces are unknown
For constrained systems, the Newton equations have the form

(1 ≤ i ≤ N),

where is the specified force and is the constraint

force acting on the particle . The are known but the
are not

The first difficulty is overcome by using generalized coordinates,

while the second is overcome by using Lagrange’s equations.
 GENERALISED COORDINATES
Defn: If the configuration of a system S is determined by the
values of a set of independent variables q1,……qn, then {q1,
….qn} is said to be a set of generalized coordinates for S.
 Independent variables, means there is no functional
relation connecting them.
 Determine the configuration, means when the value of the
coordinate q1,…qn are given the position of every particle
of S is determined. i.e. the position vectors {ri} of the
particle must be known functions of the independent
variables q1,…qn.
ri = ri(q1,….qn) where (i = 1,..N)
 Example

Let S be the system, which consists of two

particles P1 and P2, connected by a light rigid rod
of length a. The particle P1 is constrained to move
along a fixed horizontal rail and the system
moves in the vertical plane through the rail. Select
generalized coordinates for this system and obtain
expressions for the position vectors r1, r2 in terms
of these coordinates.
 Solution

consider the variables x, θ , they are

independent variables. {x, θ} is a set of
generalized coordinates for the system S.
The positions of the particles P1 and P2 are
 Generalized velocities

When the configuration of S changes with

time, the point q moves through the
configuration space Q so that q = q(t).

The time derivatives ,..., of the

generalised coordinates . . . , are
called the generalised velocities of the
system S.
 Particle velocities

The values of q and determine the position and velocity of

every particles of the system S. Since

and

From chain rule

Example: find the particles velocities for the two particle system
and deduce the formula for the kinetic energy.
 Particle velocities cont…
Solution: the velocities of the particles P1 and P2 are

Kinetic energy of the system is

 LAGRANGE’S EQUATIONS
• Lagrangian function

• Lagrange’s equation (generalised coordinates)

(1 ≤ j ≤ n),
 LAGRANGE’S EQUATIONS cont…
• Lagrange’s equations for a general standard system
Let S be a standard system with generalised coordinates q,
kinetic energy and generalised forces . Then, in
any motion of S, the coordinates q(t) must satisfy the system of
equations

(1 ≤ j ≤ n).
 LAGRANGE’S EQUATIONS cont…
• Lagrange’s equations for a conservative standard system
Let S be a conservative standard system with generalised
coordinates q, kinetic energy and potential energy V
(q). Then, in any motion of S, the coordinates q(t) must satisfy
the system of equations

(1 ≤ j ≤ n).
 Lagrange’s method for conservative systems

• Confirm that the system is standard and that the

specified forces are conservative.
• Select generalised coordinates.
• Evaluate the expressions for T and V in terms of the
chosen coordinates.
• Substitute these expressions into the Lagrange
equations and turn the handle. It’s a piece of cake!
 Example

Consider a block of mass m sliding on a smooth

wedge of mass M and angle α which itself slides
on a smooth horizontal floor. The whole motion
is planar.
 Find Lagrange’s equations for this system
Deduce;
 (i) the acceleration of the wedge,
 (ii) the acceleration of the block relative to the
wedge.
Solution
 Solution cont…
• General coordinates are x and y.
• Therefore we can write the kinetic and potential
energies in terms of x, y.

1 1
T  Mx  mx 2  y 2  2 x y cos  
2

2 2

V   mgy sin 
 Solution cont…
The required partial derivatives of T and V are then
given by
 Solution cont…
We can now form up the Lagrange equations. The equation
corresponding to the coordinate x is

and the equation corresponding to the coordinate y is

 Solution cont…
If we now perform the time derivatives in equations (1),
(2) and solve for the unknowns , we obtain

which are the required accelerations.

 Example

Let S be the system. The rail is smooth and the prescribed force F(t)
acts on the particle P2 as shown. Gravity is absent.

Find the Lagrange equations for S.

 Solution
Evaluate generalised forces
Take generalised coordinates x, as shown and let the
corresponding generalised forces be called , . Then, since
S has just two particles,

where
 Solution cont…
and

The generalised forces , are therefore given by

and
 Solution cont…
The kinetic energy is given by

and so the Lagrange equations are