Homework #1 PHYS 601 Fall 2013 Due on Thursday, September 26, 2013 online

Professor Victor Yakovenko Oce: 2115 Physics

Web page: http://physics.umd.edu/~yakovenk/teaching/ Textbook: Goldstein et al., Classical Mechanics, 3rd edition, 2002, ISBN 0-201-65702-3 Do not forget to write your name and the homework number! Total score is 37 points.

Ch. 1 & 2 Lagrange Equations and Conservation Laws

The problems are inspired by the textbook, but reformulated by me. You must answer the questions asked in the homework, NOT in the textbook. For inspiration and hints how to solve this homework, see Problems 14 at the end of Ch. 1 in Landau and Lifshitz Mechanics. 1. Inspired by Problem 2.20, 18 points. (a) A particle of mass m2 slides on a wedge of angle and mass m1 which glides on a horizontal surface. Take the horizontal coordinates of the particle to be x2 and of the sharp end of the wedge to be x1 , both relative to a laboratory frame. Show that the vertical coordinate the particle is z = (x2 x1 ) tan . (1)

Make a sketch of the setup indicating these coordinates. Equation (1) represents a constraint imposed on the coordinates x1 , x2 , and z in this problem. (b) Write down the kinetic and potential energies (due to the vertical gravitational acceleration g ) in terms of the coordinates x1 , x2 , and z and their time derivatives. Eliminate z using Eq. (1) and obtain the Lagrangian L(x1 , x2 , x 1, x 2 ). Then obtain Lagranges equations of motion for x1 and x2 . Ignore any friction. (c) From the Lagranges equations of motion, show that a certain linear combination of x 1 and x 2 remains constant in time, i.e., is conserved. What is this conservation law, and what symmetry of the problem is responsible for it? (d) The conservation law obtained in Part (c) can be utilized to eliminate one of the two degrees of freedom. Using this conservation law and the constraint (1), obtain the Lagrangian as L(z, z ), assuming that the system is initially at rest and then released. Obtain Lagranges equation for the acceleration z in terms of g and other parameters of the problem. (e) From the Lagrangian L(z, z ), construct the energy function h(z, z ) and discuss which symmetry of the problem is responsible for its conservation. (f ) Suppose the sharp end of the wedge curves smoothly so that the particle continues gliding on the horizontal surface when it reaches the level z = 0. Assuming that the initial height of the particle is z0 , calculate the nal velocities x 1 and x 2 of the wedge and the particle after they disconnect and continue gliding horizontally in opposite directions.

Homework #1, Phys601, Fall 2013, Prof. Yakovenko 2. Inspired by the example on page 47, 10 points. Consider a smooth solid hemisphere of mass m1 and radius a placed with its at side down on a horizontal surface, along which it can slide without friction. At the top of the hemisphere, a particle of mass m2 is given an innitesimal displacement and slides down without friction in a gravitational eld of the acceleration g . Position of the particle is characterized by the angle relative to the origin of the hemisphere, such that = 0 corresponds to the top position. ) of the particle and (a) Make a sketch of the setup. Derive the Lagrangian L(, obtain Lagranges equation of motion for , while the particle is still on the hemisphere. ) and calculate as a function of (b) Construct the conserved energy function h(, , while the particle is still on the hemisphere. (c) Calculation the radial reaction force between the hemisphere and the particle as a function of the particle position. Derive an equation for the height z = a cos where the particle detaches from the hemisphere. You should nd a cubic equation for cos = z /a. This equation has a simple solution in the case m1 = . Verify that your solution in this case coincides with the answer on page 47. The cubic equation can be also solved analytically in the case m1 = m2 . Observing that cos = 2 is one (unphysical) solution in this case, reduce the cubic equation to a quadratic one and nd a physical solution for cos . 3. Inspired by Problem 2.18, 9 points. A particle of mass m is constrained to move on a massless hoop of radius a xed in a vertical plane that rotates about its vertical symmetry axis with constant angular speed . Position of the particle on the hoop is characterized by the angle , such that = 0 corresponds to the bottom position. The particle is subject to a vertical gravitational eld of the acceleration g . ) of the particle and (a) Make a sketch of the setup. Derive the Lagrangian L(, obtain Lagranges equation of motion for . (b) Does the Lagrangian explicitly depend on time t? Construct the energy function ) and discuss whether it is conserved. h(, (c) Write down the potential energy U () in the energy function and sketch U vs. . Discuss where the minimum of potential energy is located. Show that for < 0 the minimum is located at = 0, whereas for > 0 it is located at = 0. Calculate the critical value 0 and the equilibrium position for > 0 . What is the limiting value of when ?

September 19, 2013