PHYSICS 44 { CLASSICAL MECHANICS

2003 SUMMER FINAL EXAM { SOLUTIONS

Problem 1

Consider the following Atwood machine composed of the two masses m1 and m2 and
attached to a stand with the help of a spring of strength k. The equilibrium point of
the spring is at a height h below the stand and the generalized coordinates describing the
state of the mechanical system are x and y as shown in the Figure below.

(a) Construct the Lagrangian L(x; y; x;

_ y)
_ for this mechanical system.

(b) Derive the Euler-Lagrange equations for x and y.

Solution

(a) The depths of masses m1 and m2 below the stand are

z1 = h + y + x and z2 = h + ` + y x;
respectively. From these expressions, the respective velocities are
z_1 = y_ + x_ and z_ 2 = y_ x;
_
so that the kinetic energy of the mechanical system is
m1 m
K(x;
_ y)
_ = _ 2 + 2 (y_ x)
(y_ + x) _ 2:
2 2

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 The sources of potential energy in this problem are gravitational and elastic:
k 2
U(x; y) = m1g z1 m2g z2 + y
2
k 2
= m1g (y + x) m2g (y x) + y ;
2
where we have eliminated constant terms. The Lagrangian for this mechanical system is,
therefore, given by the expression
m1 m2 k 2
L(x; y; x;
_ y)
_ = _ 2 +
(y_ + x) _ 2
(y_ x) y + m1g (y + x) + m2g (y x):
2 2 2

(b) The Euler-Lagrange equation for x is

!
@L d @L
_ m2 (y_ x)
= m1 (y_ + x) _ ! = (m1 m2) y + (m1 + m2 ) x
@ x_ dt @ x_
@L
= (m1 m2 ) g
@x
or
(m1 m2) y + (m1 + m2 ) x = (m1 m2 ) g:
By freezing the degree of freedom associated with y (i.e., y_ = 0 = y),
we recover the Atwood
machine problem: (m1 + m2) x = (m1 m2)g.
The Euler-Lagrange equation for y is
!
@L d @L
_ + m2 (y_ x)
= m1 (y_ + x) _ ! = (m1 + m2) y + (m1 m2) x
@ y_ dt @ y_
@L
= ky + (m1 + m2) g
@y
or
(m1 + m2) y + (m1 m2 ) x = ky + (m1 + m2) g:
By freezing the degree of freedom associated with x (i.e., x_ = 0 = x), we recover the
y g) + ky = 0.
spring-block problem: (m1 + m2) (

2
Problem 2

A particle of mass m and angular momentum ` is observed to undergo periodic motion

with its distance r() from the center of force given by the relation

r2() = a2 cos(2 );

which describes a lemniscate of amplitude a.

(a) Show that the potential energy U(r) leading to this periodic motion is given by the
attractive potential
`2 a4
U(r) = :
2m r6

(b) Solve the dierential equation for (t) given by _ = `=mr2 for < =4 subject to the
initial condition = 0 at time t = 0.

Solution
q
(a) From s() = a1 sec(2), we nd s0 = a1 sin(2)=[cos(2)]3=2 and
! !
00 1 2 sin2 (2) 1 1 3
s = + 3 = + ;
a [cos(2)]1=2 [cos(2)]5=2 a [cos(2)]1=2 [cos(2)]5=2

so that
dU 1 4 6
s00 + s = 3a4 s5 ! U(s) = a s :
ds 2

3
Hence, the potential energy is

`2 `2 a4
U(r) = U(1=r) = :
m 2m r6

Note that the eective potential is

!
`2 1 a4
V (r) = ;
2m r2 r6
1
with a single local maximum at r 0 = 3 4 a, with

`2
V (r0) = and V (a) = 0:
3 mr20

Hence, since r = a is a turning point (see Figure above), this motion is characterized by a
total energy E = 0 and an innite radial velocity as r ! 0.
If we now solve for s() for the case E = 0, we nd the integral solution
Z 1
d 1 Z1 dx
1 = p 4 6 = p
s a 2 2 s2 a4 x2 1
1 Z =2 1
1 2 2
= d = sec (a s ) ;
2 sec1(a2s 2) 2 2

where we have used the trigonometric substitution x = a 2 sec to obtain the nal
expression. Hence, we nd


a 2s2 = sec 2 (1 ) = csc[2 (1 )]:
2
We now choose s = a1 at = 0, so that 1 = =4 and nally

a2 s2 = sec(2) ! r 2 = a2 cos(2):

(b) From the equation _ = `=mr 2, we nd cos(2) d = (`=ma2) dt and, thus, we obtain
the solution
2`
sin(2) = t:
ma2
Here, since a quarter of the periodic orbit takes a time of T=4 = ma 2=2`, we readily nd
that the period is T = 2ma2=`.

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Problem 3

Consider the following scattering problem where a particle of mass m and total energy
E > 0p approaches a center of force with angular momentum ` and impact parameter
b = `= 2mE subject to the attractive potential
8
>
< U0 for r < R
U(r) =
>
:
0 for r > R

where b = R sin < R.

The scattering process is characterized by the distance of closest approach < b at an angle
(see Figure below), from which the CM deection angle is dened as = 2 .

(a) Find the distance of closest approach .

(b) Show that the impact parameter b() satises the equation


b() = nR sin ;
2
q
where n = 1 + U0=E > 1.

(c) Show that the maximum deection angle max is given as

max = 2 arccos n1 :

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Solution

(a) The turning point r = is a solution of the equation

b2 U b b
1 = 2
0 ! = q = :
E 1 + U0=E n

(b) The angle corresponding to the distance of closest approach is given by the integral
equation
Z R Z n
(b=r 2) dr dx
= + q = + p ;
n2 (b=r)2 sin n 2 x2
where we used the substitution x = b=r. Using the trigonometric substitution x = n sin ,
the -integral becomes
Z =2

= + d = + arcsin n1 sin :
arcsin(n1 sin 2
Since b = R sin and = ( + )=2, we nd the implicit expression for the impact
parameter


sin = n sin ! b() = nR sin :
2 2
Since is a function of the impact parameter b, we can also nd the following explicit
expression for the impact parameter
nR sin(=2)
b() = q ;
1 + n2 2n cos(=2)

from which we derive the expression

db nR [n cos(=2) 1] [n cos(=2)]
= :
d 2 [1 + n 2 2n cos(=2)]3=2

(c) On the one hand, when = 0, we nd = =2 and min = 0. On the other hand,
when = =2, we nd b = R and

max
1 = n sin = n cos(max =2) ! max = 2 arccos n1 :
2 2
Note that when = max, we nd that db=d vanishes and, therefore, the dierential
cross section vanishes (max ) = 0, while at = 0, we nd (0) = n2 R2=4.

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Problem 4

Consider a thin homogeneous rectangular plate of mass M and area ab (with b > a)
that lies on the (x; y)-plane.

(a) Show that the inertia tensor (calculated in the reference frame with its origin at point
O in the Figure above) takes the form
0 1
A C 0
B C
J = @ C B 0 A;
0 0 A+B

and nd suitable expressions for A, B, and C in terms of M , a, and b.

(b) Calculate the inertia tensor I in the CM frame by using the Parallel-Axis Theorem
and show that I is diagonal with components

M b2 M a2 M 2
Ixx = ; Iyy = ; and Izz = b + a2 :
12 12 12
Hint: The position of the center of mass is given by the vector = (a bx + b by)=2.

(c) From the result in Part (b), determine the principal moments of inertia (I1; I2; I3) and
the principal axes of inertia (be1 ; be2; be3) from (Ixx ; Iyy ; Izz ) and (bx; by; bz).

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Problem 4 (continued)

(d) Show that the external torque N needed to rotate the rectangular plate about a diagonal
with constant angular velocity ! (see Figure below) is
!
M a2 b2
N = ab ! 2 be3 :
12 a 2 + b2

Hint: The unit vector !

b is directed along the diagonal (as shown in the Figure) and
the components !1 and !2 are dened as !1 = ! be1 and !2 = ! be2 .

Solution

(a) The mass density for the rectangular plate is (x; y; z) = (M=ab) (z), where the delta
function (z) indicates that mass is concentrated on the (z = 0)-plane. The diagonal
components of the inertia tensor J are calculated as follows
M Z Z a Z b
M Z a
Z b
2 2 M 2
Jxx = dz (z) dx dy y + z = dx dy y2 = b
ab 0 0 ab 0 0 3
M Z Z a Z b
M Za
Z b
M 2
Jyy = dz (z) dx dy x2 + z 2 = dx dy x2 = a
ab 0 0 ab 0 0 3
M Z Z a Z b
M Z a
Z b
2 2
Jzz = dz (z) dx dy x + y = dx dy x2 + y 2
ab 0 0 ab 0 0
M 2
= a + b2
3
while the non-diagonal components are
M Z Z a Z b
M Z a Z b
M
Jxy = dz (z) dx dy x y = dx dy x y = a b = Jyx
ab 0 0 ab 0 0 4

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with Jxz = Jyz = 0 = Jzx = Jzy .

(b) The displacement vector from the origin O to the center of mass (CM) is =
(a bx + b by )=2 so that
Mh 2 i
M jj 2 1 = b bxbx + a2 by by + (a2 + b2 ) bzbz ab (bxby + by bx) ;
4
and thus, according to the Parallel-Axis Theorem, the CM inertia tensor

I = J M jj 2 1

has the components

M M 2
Ixx = Jxx b2 = b;
4 12
M M 2
Iyy = Jyy a2 = a;
4 12
M M 2
Izz = Jzz (a2 + b2) = (a + b2);
4 12
M
Ixy = Jxy + a b = 0:
4

(c) The principal axes of inertia are be1 = bx, be2 = by , and be3 = bz, so that I1 = Ixx, I2 = Iyy ,
and I3 = Izz .

(d) From the unit vector !b

(a be1 + b be2)
b = p
! ;
a 2 + b2
the frequency components are

!a !b
!1 = p and !2 = p 2 ;
2
a +b 2 a + b2
with !3 = 0.
Since ! = !1 be1 + !2 be2 is constant, the Euler equations become
!
M a2 b2
!1!2 (I2 I1) = N3 = 2 2
ab !2:
12 b +a