Analytical Mechanics 1 - EL Equations and Calculus of Variations

1. Show that the solution of Euler-Lagrange equations is an extremum of action.

2. Find the shortest distance between two points on a plane.
3.

Shape of soap bubble:

Use the calculus of variations to nd a surface

of a minimal area which is also a surface of revolution around the z-axis. The
boundary of the surface consists of two circles of radius R parallel to the x-y
plane with their centers located at (0,0,L) and (0,0,-L).
4. Find the curve joining two points, along which a particle falling from rest
under the inuence of gravity travels from the higher to the lower point in the
shortest time.
5.

Suppose that we could build a tunnel through the Earth's crust connect-

ing any city A to any other city B in the world. If we neglect friction, a train
departing A with zero speed would accelerate as the tunnel gets closer to the
center of the Earth and deaccelerated as it gets further, nally arriving at B with
exactly zero speed. Determine the prole of the tunnel that will be traversed in
the shortest time.