PHAS1247

Classical Mechanics
Exam 2017

[Prof Mark Lancaster]

Answer ALL SIX questions from Section A and ANY THREE questions from Section B

The numbers in square brackets in the right-hand margin indicate a provisional allocation of maximum
possible marks for different parts of each question.

Section A
(Answer ALL SIX questions from this section)

1. (a) Show that the length of a vector a projected along the direction of vector b is: a · b̂. [3]
(b) Hence, or otherwise, show that, if an orthogonal i-j basis is rotated clockwise through an [3]
angle θ about an axis perpendicular to the i-j plane to define an i0 -j0 basis, then:

i0 = cos θ i − sin θ j and j0 = sin θ i + cos θ j.

2. (a) Give an expression for the velocity of the centre-of-mass (CM) vCM for two particles with [6]
masses m1 , m2 and velocities v1 , v2 respectively. Show that the momentum of mass m1
in the CM frame p01 is given by:

p01 = µv ,

where µ is the reduced mass of the two particles and v = v1 − v2 and hence show that the
total momentum of the two particles evaluated in the CM frame is zero.
(b) What can be said about the motion of the CM for a system on which no external forces [1]
are acting?

3. (a) Give two definitions of a conservative force. [2]

(b) For a planet orbiting the Sun, what quantities are conserved? [2]
Assuming the Earth’s orbit around the Sun is circular, show that the speed v of the Earth
around the Sun is given by: [2]
r
GM
v= ,
ro
where G is Newton’s universal constant of gravitation, M the mass of the Sun and r0 the
radius of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
(c) Hence show that the sum of the Earth’s kinetic and gravitational potential energy (PE) [2]
equals 21 PE.

PHAS1247/2017 1 CONTINUED
4. (a) With reference to an appropriate diagram, write down the two equations relating the unit
vectors in polar coordinates: r̂ and θ̂ to the Cartesian-basis unit vectors: î and ĵ as a
function of θ, and show that: [3]

dr̂
= θ̇ θ̂.
dt

(b) Given:

dr
v= = ṙ r̂ + rθ̇ θ̂,
dt
show that: [4]

dv
a= = (r̈ − rθ̇2 ) r̂ + (2ṙθ̇ + rθ̈) θ̂.
dt

5. (a) Write down the equation of motion for a rotational system with moment of inertia I. [2]
(b) A simple pendulum: a mass m hanging from a massless string of length l in the vertical
plane, is displaced through a small angle θ as shown below.

Using the equation of motion for a rotational system, show that for small oscillations the
pendulum executes simple harmonic motion with a frequency f given by: [4]
r
1 g
f= .
2π l

6. (a) Give an expression for the torque τ on a particle at position r from a force F. Show that
τ = dL
dt
where L is the angular momentum, and that τ is zero for a central force. [3]
(b) A constant external force F acts on a body of mass m moving with velocity v. Show that
the power P exerted by this force is given by:

P = F·v,

and that this is also equal to the change in the body’s kinetic energy (KE) with time i.e. [3]

d(KE)
P = .
dt

PHAS1247/2017 2 CONTINUED
 Section B
(Answer ANY THREE questions from this Section)
Note: only three Section B answers will be marked

7. (a) An electron of charge q = −e (e = 1.6 × 10−19 C) and mass m (9.1 × 10−31 kg) is subject
to a magnetic field B acting in the vertical (+k̂) direction. The electron follows a circular
orbit of radius R0 in the horizontal (r̂, θ̂) plane with an angular speed ω. The force F
exerted on the electron by the magnetic field is given by:

F = qv × B

where v is the electron’s velocity.

State the direction of the force and the electron’s velocity in terms of r̂ and θ̂ and hence
determine F in terms of e, ω, R0 and |B|. [4]
(b) Assuming v  c and so neglecting effects from special relativity, determine the value of
|B| that results in the particle completing a single orbit in 1.5 µs. If R0 = 50 cm, what is [5]
the electron’s momentum?
(c) The centre of the electron’s orbit is at a latitude of 41.84◦ N and due to the Earth’s rotation
the electron is subject to a Coriolis force. State the direction in which this force acts. [5]
Neglecting the change in latitude as the electron orbits, determine the magnitude of the
Coriolis force.
(d) Using the equation of motion of the electron in polar coordinate, obtain an expression
for the force F(R) acting on the electron in an orbit of radius R in terms of the angular [2]
momentum L of the electron.
(e) The electron is now subject to a small perturbation such that the radius of its orbit becomes
R = R0 + ρ and ∂F


∂R R=R0
= α, where ρ  R0 .
Write down a new radial equation of motion in terms of ρ and show that the trajectory of [4]
the electron follows simple harmonic motion radially about R0 with angular speed:
s
3L2 α
ω= 2 4
− .
m R0 m

One can assume the expansions: (1 + )−n = 1 − n (for   1) and

f (x0 + a) = f (x0 ) + a ∂f


∂x x=x0
for small a.

PHAS1247/2017 3 CONTINUED
8. (a) A tennis ball bounces on the ground which can be considered to be a smooth, horizontal
surface. Its angle of incidence is α to the ground and the collision with the ground is
an inelastic one described by a coefficient of restitution e. If the angle at which the ball [4]
bounces off the ground is β to the horizontal, show that:

tan β = e tan α .

(b) The tennis ball of mass m is initially at rest at a height h above the ground. It is struck
downwards towards the ground by a racquet which is at an angle θ to the vertical and the
racquet imparts an impulse J to the ball. The ball is then subject to the gravitational [6]
force with acceleration g before hitting the ground. Show that α satisfies:

2ghm2
tan2 α = + tan2 θ .
J 2 cos2 θ

(c) Using the results of parts (a) and (b), determine the maximum height the ball reaches if [6]
m = 60 g, h = 2 m, θ = 10◦ , e = 0.8, J = 1.5 N s and g = 9.8 m s−2 .
(d) Determine the number of times the ball bounces above a height of 5 cm. [4]

PHAS1247/2017 4 CONTINUED
9. (a) Write down the formula for the position of the centre-of-mass RCM for two particles with [2]
position vectors r1 , r2 and masses m1 , m2 respectively.
(b) Using the integral expression for RCM i.e.
Z
1
RCM = rdm
M
and by considering a triangle to be composed of strips of width ∆x, show for an isosceles [5]
triangular lamina of height h, that the position of the centre-of-mass (CM) is at a height
h/3 above the base. The lamina has a constant mass per unit area.
(c) A 2D cross-section of a segment of a 2015 toblerone is shown below. For this segment,
the combined mass of the two triangular peaks is the same as the rectangular base. The
2016, Brexit-induced, toblerone crisis has resulted in the base of the toblerone becoming 2a
whilst retaining the same chocolate triangles. Calculate the change in the vertical position [3]
of the CM between the 2015 and 2016 toblerone segments.

(d) One of the toblerone triangles of mass M is used in the confectionery Olympics. A rect-
angular mini-mars bar of mass m is held motionless on the side of the toblerone which
is inclined at an angle θ to the horizontal. The toblerone triangle rests on a frictionless
horizontal surface and there is no static or kinetic friction between the mars bar and the
toblerone. The acceleration due to gravity is g. The mars bar is released and slides down
the toblerone under the influence of gravity. See figure below.

If the mini-mars bar has an acceleration a = (ax , −ay ) and the toblerone A = (−Ax , Ay )
show that: [3]
ay
tan θ = .
ax − Ax
(e) Using the above formula for tan θ and by resolving forces vertically and horizontally find
an expression for the normal force N between the mars bar and toblerone in terms of [7]
m, M, θ and g. Show that
mg sin 2θ
Ax = .
2(M + m sin2 θ)
In the limit M → ∞ show that your expression for N reduces to N = mg cos θ.

PHAS1247/2017 5 CONTINUED
10. (a) A mass m hangs from a massless string of length l. The mass swings in a horizontal circle
as shown below with the string making a constant angle θ with the vertical.

Show that the angular speed ω of this rotation is given by: [4]
r
g
ω= ,
l cos θ
where g is the acceleration due to gravity. The size of the mass can be neglected relative
to the length of the string.
(b) A ball of radius r and mass m has a moment of inertia about an axis through its centre of
αmr2 . It rests on top of a fixed sphere (at θ = 0) of radius R and there is friction between
the ball and the sphere. The ball is given an infinitesimal impulse causing it to roll, under [4]
the influence of gravity, without slipping down the sphere. Assuming r  R, show that
the ball loses contact with the sphere when:
2
cos θ = .
3+α

Giving reasons, how would this result change if r is comparable to, or larger than R. [2]
(c) Sand drops vertically (from a negligible height) at a rate of β kg/s onto a conveyor belt
moving in the horizontal direction.
i. What force must be applied to the belt to keep it moving at a constant speed v? [2]
ii. How much kinetic energy does the sand gain per unit time? [1]
iii. How much work is done by the force (of part-i) in unit time and why does this differ [2]
from the answer in part-ii?
(d) A particle initially at r = r0 with ṙ = 0 and θ̇ = ω0 is subsequently acted on by an angular
force of the form: Fθ = mṙθ̇ θ̂. Show, by integration, and using the formula in Q4 for
acceleration in polar coordinates, that: [5]
s  
2 2 r
ṙ = 2r0 ω0 log .
r0

PHAS1247/2017 6 CONTINUED
11. (a) The gravitational force from an object of mass M on an object of mass m whose centre of
masses are a distance r apart is: − GM r2
m
.
Write down the expression for the gravitational potential of the body on the earth’s surface
if R is the radius of the earth. Hence by considering this potential at R + h and R, show
that the gravitational potential energy for a body at a height h above the earth is: mgh. [4]
You should assume h  R, the acceleration due to gravity on the earth’s surface is g and
one can use the expansion: (1 + )−n = 1 − n (for   1).
(b) A spool (see figure) of mass M comprises an axle of radius r and an outside circle of radius
R which rolls along the ground. A massless string is wrapped around the spool and is
pulled with a tension T at an angle θ to the horizontal. The motion of the spool is resisted
by a horizontal frictional force. By considering the torques and the horizontal and vertical
forces:

i. Determine the value of θ in terms of r and R that results in the spool not rotating.
You should assume that the frictional force (Ff ) between the ground and the spool is [3]
large enough to prevent the spool from sliding.
ii. Show that the maximum value of T (TM ) that can be applied such that the spool does
not move is given by: [3]
µM g
TM =
cos θ + µ sin θ
where µ is the coefficient of friction between the spool and the ground.
iii. By differentiating the above expression with respect to θ show that the minimum
TM that can be applied causing the spool to move happens when θ = θ0 and that [5]
tan θ0 = µ. For θ = θ0 show that TM and r are then given by the following expressions:
µM g R
TM = p and r = p .
1 + µ2 1 + µ2
(c) A cockroach, Nigel, of mass m travels with speed v0 perpendicular to a rod of mass m and
length l which is stationary. Nigel collides elastically with the rod and after the collision
Nigel and the centre-of-mass of the rod both have speed v. Write down the three equations [5]
derived from the conservation laws and show that:
l
h= √
6
where h is the distance from the centre of the rod to the point Nigel collides with the rod.
The moment of inertia of the rod about an axis perpendicular to the rod and through its
1
centre-of-mass is 12 ml2 .

END OF PAPER

PHAS1247/2017 7