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  1. In two-dimensional space, define rotating coordinate axes by

    eqnarray23

    ( tex2html_wrap_inline678 and tex2html_wrap_inline680 might describe a set of axes painted on a flywheel which is rotating with respect to an inertial observer.)

    tex2html_wrap922 tex2html_wrap924

    NOTE: For the questions below, work in tex2html_wrap_inline682 basis, where the position tex2html_wrap_inline684 is given by

    displaymath686

    1. Find the velocity tex2html_wrap_inline688 in terms of the tex2html_wrap_inline678 , tex2html_wrap_inline680 axes.

      tex2html_wrap926

    2. Find the acceleration tex2html_wrap_inline694 in terms of the tex2html_wrap_inline678 , tex2html_wrap_inline680 axes.

      tex2html_wrap928

    3. What force is required to keep both u and v constant?

      tex2html_wrap930

    4. If tex2html_wrap_inline678 and tex2html_wrap_inline680 describe axes on a flywheel rotating with frequency tex2html_wrap_inline710 , why does your answer to part (c) make sense?

      tex2html_wrap932

  2. For the potential tex2html_wrap_inline718

    1. Sketch the equipotential curves in the xy-plane.

      tex2html_wrap934

    2. Sketch the gradient field in your map above.

      tex2html_wrap936

    3. At the point (x,y) = (3,3),
      1. What is the force tex2html_wrap_inline724 ?

        tex2html_wrap938

      2. Show that the force component tex2html_wrap_inline732 in the tex2html_wrap_inline734 direction vanishes, where

        displaymath736

        soln

        displaymath738

      3. What does this tell you physically about the direction of tex2html_wrap_inline734 , in terms of your map in parts (a) and (b)?

        tex2html_wrap940

    1. For the following forces, state whether the force is conservative or non-conservative. If the force is conservative, display the potential. If not, prove it's not, by calculating either tex2html_wrap_inline752 or a relevant work integral tex2html_wrap_inline754 .

      
      

      [0.25in] Constant force tex2html_wrap_inline756

      YES V = -ax-by-cz [0.5in] The force tex2html_wrap_inline760 (for some function G)

      YES V = -G(r) [0.5in] The force tex2html_wrap_inline764 (r, tex2html_wrap_inline768 are polar coordinates in the xy-plane)

      NO work integral around closed circular loop

      tex2html_wrap_inline770 [0.5in] The force tex2html_wrap_inline772

      NO tex2html_wrap_inline774 [0.2in]

    2. tex2html_wrap942 tex2html_wrap944

      tex2html_wrap946

    tex2html_wrap948 -1.2in tex2html_wrap950

    1. Let variables r and tex2html_wrap_inline768 describe the motion of tex2html_wrap_inline804 on the plane, and z the motion of tex2html_wrap_inline808 . Write the Lagrangian for this system, in terms of the variables r and tex2html_wrap_inline768 .

      tex2html_wrap952

    2. What is the Euler-Lagrange equation for tex2html_wrap_inline768 ? What does it mean, physically?

      tex2html_wrap_inline768 and tex2html_wrap_inline836 appear in the Lagrangian only in the kinetic energy term for tex2html_wrap_inline804 , which depends only on tex2html_wrap_inline836 . Thus E-L gives

      displaymath842

      the angular momentum l of tex2html_wrap_inline804 is conserved.

    3. Find an Euler-Lagrange equation for r, which depends only on constants and the single function r(t).

      tex2html_wrap954

    4. At what radius does tex2html_wrap_inline804 undergo a circular orbit?

      tex2html_wrap_inline860 when tex2html_wrap_inline862 , thus

      displaymath864

    5. What is the frequency of small radial oscillations about this circular orbit?

      eqnarray254

      The frequency of radial oscillations is tex2html_wrap_inline866 . The denominator is tex2html_wrap_inline868 because that is the effective mass for radial oscillations; see the left hand side of the radial equation of motion (c). Thus

      displaymath870

    6. Show that the near-circular orbits are closed, when tex2html_wrap_inline872 .

      displaymath874

      so

      displaymath876

      For tex2html_wrap_inline872 , tex2html_wrap_inline880 so that the periods in r and tex2html_wrap_inline768 are equal; the orbit closes on itself and repeats when tex2html_wrap_inline886 .

  3. A particle in the plane experiences a central force, with potential tex2html_wrap_inline888 .

    1. What is the effective potential tex2html_wrap_inline890 for the radial coordinate?

      displaymath892

    2. Which term dominates this effective potential,
      1. as tex2html_wrap_inline894 ?

        displaymath896

      2. as tex2html_wrap_inline898 ?

        displaymath900

    3. Sketch tex2html_wrap_inline890 qualitatively, labeling (but not calculating) any important energies and radii.

      tex2html_wrap956

      1. For what initial energies and radii is the orbit bound?

        for tex2html_wrap_inline904 (this includes all physical r when E;SPMlt;0)

      2. For what initial energies and radii is the orbit unbound?

        for tex2html_wrap_inline910

        for tex2html_wrap_inline912 for all r

    4. Write down the Lagrangian for this planar particle, in potential tex2html_wrap_inline888 .

      tex2html_wrap958

    5. Legendre transform to obtain the Hamiltonian for this particle.

      tex2html_wrap960

    6. Derive Hamilton's equations for this particle.

      tex2html_wrap962




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Next: About this document

Katherine Benson
Tue Apr 9 17:46:17 EDT 2002