July 21, 2003

PHYSICS 44 MECHANICS
Homework Assignment III
SOLUTION
Problem 1
A block of mass m rests on the inclined plane (with angle ) of a triangular block of
mass M as shown in the Figure below. Here, we consider the case where both blocks slide
without friction (i.e., m slides on the inclined plane without friction and M slides without
friction on the horizontal plane).

(a) Using the generalized coordinates (x; y) shown in the Figure above, construct the Lagrangian L(x; x;
_ y; y).
_
(b) Derive the Euler-Lagrange equations for x and y.
(c) Calculate the canonical momenta
px(x; x;
_ y; y)
_ =

@L
@ x_

and

py (x; x;
_ y; y)
_ =

@L
;
@ y_

and invert these expressions to nd the functions x(x;

_ px; y; py) and y(x;
_ px; y; py ).
(d) Calculate the Hamiltonian H(x; px; y; py ) for this system by using the Legendre transformation
H(x; px; y; py ) = px x_ + py y_ L(x; x;
_ y; y);
_

where the functions x(x;

_ px; y; py ) and y(x;
_ px; y; py) are used.
(e) Find which of the two momenta found in Part (c) is a constant of the motion and
discuss why it is so. If the two blocks start from rest, what is the value of this constant of
motion?
Solution
(a) The total kinetic energy of the system is
K = (m + M)

x_ 2
y_ 2
+ m
+ m cos x_ y;
_
2
2

while the gravitational potential energy is

U = mg sin y;
where the zero potential energy point is located at the top of the inclined plane. The
Lagrangian L = K U is therefore
L(x; x;
_ y; y)
_ = (m + M )

x_ 2
y_ 2
+ m
+ m cos x_ y_ + mg sin y:
2
2

(b) The Euler-Lagrange equation for x is

@L
d
= (m + M) x_ + m cos y_ !
@ x_
dt

@L
= (m + M) x + m cos y
@ x_
@L
= 0
@x

or

(m + M ) x + m cos y = 0

The Euler-Lagrange equation for y is

@L
d
= m (y_ + cos x)
_ !
@ y_
dt

@L
= m (
y + cos x)
@ y_
@L
= mg sin
@x

or

y + cos x = g sin

(c) The canonical momenta are

px =

@L
= (m + M ) x_ + m cos y_
@ x_

py =

@L
= m (y_ + cos x)
_ ;
@ y_

which can be expressed in matrix form as

0

px

B
@

py

C
A

= @

(m + M ) m cos
m cos

1 0
C B
A@

x_
y_

1
C
A

! p = M r_ ;

where M denotes the mass matrix. The determinant of the mass matrix is

det M = m (m + M) m2 cos2 = m M + m sin2

= ;

and we note that never vanishes and thus the Lagrangian of the system is regular.
The inversion p ! r_ is expressed in matrix form as
0
B
@

x_
y_

1
C
A

or
x_ =

m cos

1 0

px

1 B
C B
C
1
p
@
A@
A ! r_ = M

m cos (m + M )
py
px cos py
(m + M ) py m cos px
and y_ =
:
2
M + m sin
m (M + m sin2 )

(d) The Hamiltonian function is

H(r; p) =
=

1 T
p M1 p + U(r)
2
i
1 h
m p2x + (m + M ) p2y 2 m cos px py mg sin y:
2

(e) Since the Lagrangian is independent of the coordinate x, the canonical momentum
px = (m + M ) x_ + m cos y_
is a constant of the motion (i.e., p_ x = 0). If the two blocks are initially at rest, we
nd px = 0 and thus as the rectangular block starts to slide down the inclined plane the
triangular block starts to move in the opposite direction.
The equations of motion in this case become
y =

(m + M) g sin
m cos y
m g sin cos
and x =
=
:
2
M + m sin
m+M
M + m sin2