Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 6

Please hand in the questions marked with (RF) to the Students Administration Office by 2pm on
Monday 21 November for marking. These questions will be covered in the Rapid Feedback session
on Friday 25 November.

1. (RF) A spring of negligible mass and spring constant (force/extension) k, supports mass m,
and beneath it a second, identical spring, carrying a second, identical mass. Using the vertical
displacements x and y of the masses from the positions with the springs unextended as gener-
alised coordinates, write down the Lagrangian function. Find the position of equilibrium, and
the normal modes and frequencies of vertical oscillations.

2. (RF) In the lectures, we looked at a double pendulum with identical masses and rod length. For
small amplitudes, the Lagrangian is
1   1
L = mr2 2θ̇2 + φ̇2 + 2θ̇φ̇ − mgr 2θ2 + φ2 .


2 2
What is the Hamiltonian?

3. A particle of mass m falling under gravity is constrained to move on a vertical helix so that its
position in cylindrical coordinates is described by r = a, z = bθ, where a and b are constant
lengths. The z–axis is directed such that gravity acts in the direction of −z.

(a) Show that the system Lagrangian is given by

a2
 
L = 2 m 1 + 2 ż 2 − mgz ,
1
b

where g is the acceleration due to gravity. [5 marks]

(b) What is the momentum, pz , conjugate to z? How is the Lagrangian, L (z, ż), related to
the Hamiltonian, H (z, pz )? Show that the Hamiltonian, H (z, pz ), for the system is given
by
p2
H(z, pz ) =  z  + mgz .
2
2m 1 + ab2

[7 marks]
(c) Write down and solve Hamilton’s equations for this system for the case of the parti-
cle starting at rest at z = 0. Show that the particle accelerates downwards at a rate
2 −1
 
g 1 + ab2 . [6 marks]
(d) Use the solution obtained in part (3c) to show that the Hamiltonian is time–independent.
[2 marks]

[TOTAL 20 marks]