Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 2

Please hand in the questions marked with (RF) to the Students Administration Office by 2pm on
Monday 24 October for marking. These questions will be covered in the Rapid Feedback session on
Friday 28 October.

1. (RF) A cylindrical bucket of radius R half-filled with water is rotating with a constant angular
velocity ω along the axis of the cylinder.

(a) Assuming that the water is stationary in the rotating frame, consider a small volume ele-
ment on the surface of the water at radius r. Calculate the centrifugal force on the volume
element.
(b) In order for the water to be in equilibrium, the sum of the centrifugal and gravitational
forces has to be perpendicular to the surface. Show that, therefore, the height of the
surface as a function of radius h(r) is

ω2 r2
h(r) = h0 + ,
2g
where g is the acceleration due to gravity and h0 is a constant.

2. (RF)

(a) Approximate the Earth and the Moon by point particles of masses ME ≈ 6.0 × 1024 kg
and MM ≈ 7.3 × 1022 kg, respectively, separated by distance rM ≈ 3.8 × 105 km. How
far is the centre of mass of the Earth-Moon system from the Earth?
(b) Assuming circular orbits, calculate the angular momentum L∗ of the Earth-Moon system
relative to its centre of mass.
(c) Calculate the angular momentum of the centre of mass motion of the Earth-Moon system,
assuming that it orbits the Sun on a circular orbit of radius rE ≈ 1.5 × 108 km. Compare
this with |L∗ |.

3. (May 2005) For a particle moving with velocity v in a frame rotating with angular velocity
ω the Coriolis acceleration is 2v × ω. Throughout this question centrifugal effects may be
ignored.

(a) Draw a diagram of the earth (assumed spherical), indicating

i. the direction of the earth’s angular velocity,
ii. a set of cartesian coordinates whose origin is at a point P on the earth’s surface at
latitude λ with the z axis pointing away from the centre of the earth and the y axis
pointing towards the North pole,
iii. the direction and magnitude of the Coriolis acceleration for a particle moving in the
+y direction. [5 marks]
(b) A mass is suspended via a light rigid rod of length L above the earth’s surface at P . For
small angular swings the motion takes place in the x − y plane. Show that the equations
of motion of the mass are
g
ẍ − 2Ωẏ + x = 0 ,
L
g
ÿ + 2Ωẋ + y = 0 ,
L

1
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 2

where Ω = ω sin λ, ω is the earth’s angular speed, and g is the acceleration due to gravity.
Show that these equations can be combined as

ü + 2iΩu̇ + ω02 u = 0 ,

where ω02 = g/L and u = x + iy. [5 marks]

(c) Show that the general solution to the above equation is of the form

u = e−iΩt Aeiω1 t + Be−iω1 t ,

where A and B are constants, giving an expression for ω1 in terms of and Ω and ω0 . If the
pendulum is released from rest from the initial position x = a, y = 0, show that provided
Ω  ω0 , the subsequent motion of the pendulum is given by
x = a cos Ωt cos ω1 t ,
y = −a sin Ωt cos ω1 t .
Is the assumption Ω << ω0 justified physically? [8 marks]
(d) How long does it take for the pendulum’s plane of swing to rotate through 360◦ when the
experiment is carried out at λ = 51.5◦ ? [2 marks]

[TOTAL 20 marks]