Classical Mechanics (PHY401)

Problem Set 1

Semester I, 2012
Part 1: Mathematical Preliminaries

Matrices:
1. For two matrices A and B, show that
! + ! ! ! = !! !!
if and only if A and B commute.
2. A is a diagonal matrix, B is some other matrix. If A and B commutes, B is also
diagonal.
3. Show that the trace of a matrix remains invariant under orthogonal similarity
transformations.
4. Show that the property of antisymmetry is invariant under orthogonal similarity
transformations.
5. ! = ! !"!
Show if H is hermitian, then U is unitary.
6. For ! = ! ! ,
a) Show !!! = ! !! .
!!

b) Show ! !"! = !"!!! .

c) If A is orthogonal find the condition on B.
7. Find conditions under which products of two hermitian matrices is also hermitian.
Rotations:
8. Consider passive rotations in 2 dimensions. Show that they form a group.
9. Consider passive rotations about x and y axes, Rx(1) and Ry(2) respectively.
Show that they do not commute. Take the limit 1, 2 0, and recheck the
commutativity.
10. Show that !. ! is a scalar under coordinate rotations.
11. If !! = !, show that after a passive clockwise rotation about the z axis by an
angle , !! = !! !"# ! + !! !"# !.
12. For a non-Euclidean space the norm of a vector is defined as !! = !! ! + !! ! .
Show that the rotation of the form:

!"# ! !"# !
!"# ! !"# !
would preserve the norm for such a spatial geometry. Give example of such a
transformation.
! ! =

Levi Civita:
13. Consider a magnetic dipole with magnetic moment ! in a magnetic field !, in
absence of currents, then the force is given as ! = ! ! . Use Levi Civita
to show ! = ! ! = ! ! . Assume ! constant.
14. Using Levi Civita show ! !! !! = 0.
15. Using Levi Civita show
! !! = ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! + !(! !)
16. Calculate ![! ! !], where ! is the position vector and ! ! is a function of the
radial coordinate only.
17. Is ! !! the same as (!!)! ?
18. Find !! !! .
19. Use antisymmetry of !!"# to show ! !! = 0.
20. Show !!"# !!!" = 6.
Pauli Matrices:
21. The Pauli spin matrices are:
0 1
0 !
1 0
!! =
, !! =
, !! =
.
1 0
! 0
0 1
Show:
a) (!! )! = !!
b) !! !! = !!!"# !!
c) !! !! + !! !! = 2!!" !!
22. Using the commutators and anticommutators of Pauli spin matrices show:
! ! ! ! = ! ! !! + !! (!!)
23. Verify that for a rotation about x axis, the corresponding Q Matrix is given by:
!
!
! = cos !! + !!! sin
2
2
24. Use above relations to argue why infinitesimal rotations always commute.

Part 2: Lagrangian Dynamics and Application to Central Force Field:

Lagrangian Dynamics:
25. Show that Lagranges equations are invariant under a point transformation of
generalized coordinates defined as q i = q i (s 1 , s 2 ,.., s n ,t )
Hint: Show

d
dt

L L
d L L
= 0 given that
= 0 for all i.

dt q&i qi
s&i s i

26. Prove that L ' = L +

df (q, t )
also satisfies the Lagranges equation satisfied by L.
dt

27. Prove Nelson Form of Lagranges equation

T
T
2
= Qj
q j
q j

28. a) A particle of mass m is moving in a central potential, write down the

Lagrangian and Lagranges Equation. Point out the cyclic coordinate and the
conjugate momentum? Show that the differential equation for orbit is given by
d 2u
mf (u )
+u = 2 2
2

ul

Also find out the effective potential and draw the energy diagram for the inverse
square attractive force.
b) A simple pendulum consisting of a mass m2 at one end and a mass m1 at the
point of support that moves in a vertical plane. Find out the equation of motion
using the Lagrangian. Comment on the limit m1 ! " .

c) Consider a coplanar double pendulum in which mass !! hangs from a fixed

point by a massless string of length !! and a mass !! hangs from !! . Find
!
the frequencies of small oscillations. What happens in the limit ! !!
d) A particle initially at rest starts falling from a height under the influence of
gravity and air-resistance, which is given by kz ; derive the Lagaranges
equation using appropriate Rayleigh dissipative function. At what rate
energy is dissipated? Find the terminal velocity.

e) Using Lagrangian find out the equation of a simple pendulum. Show that when
amplitude (a) is not very small, the time-period of oscillation

T = 2

l a2
+
+ O (a 4 ),
g 16

29. Lagranges equation for system with non-holonomic constraint: (Refer to the
relevant discussion from Goldstein, Chapter 2, given the differential form of
constraint equation use Lagranges equation of first kind.)
a) A cylinder rolling down an inclined plane with no slipping; find out the
velocity at the bottom of the inclined plane.

b) Particle moving on the surface of a sphere under the influence of gravity if
starts from the top = 0 . At what angle it will fly off the sphere?
30. Show that if the potential in the Lagrangian contains velocity dependent terms, the
canonical momentum conjugate to a coordinate denoting rotation ! of the entire
system is no longer the angular momentum !! but is given by

rr
p = L n ri r U
i

in the gradient operator, the derivative is with respect to the velocity components
and n is the unit vector of rotation. Find out this conjugate momentum when
particles with !! is moving in a magnetic field.
Central Field Motion:
31. Find out the condition for the stability of circular orbits in a force field of
!
!
potential ! ! = !"#( ).
!

32. Determine the geometric trajectory !(!) for a particle of mass m moving in a
!

central potential ! ! = .
!

a) Solve the problem by solving the orbit equation given in terms of ! = 1 ! . (see
previous problem set)

b) Using the equivalent one-dimensional Hamiltonian derive the equation
!
1
! = !! +
!" !
! ! !!""
2!
and use this to derive the orbit.
(These two problems are solved in details in Goldstein and other books; you must
study it from them).
!

33. A particle of mass m is moving in a central potential ! ! = ! !! ! ; use equation

given in 2(b) to find out the trajectory.
34. Suppose there is a small correction to Newtons laws of gravitation so that the
potential energy of a two-particle system is given by ! ! =
Show that the shape of the orbit is described by

!"#
!

+ ! ! .

1/2

a
2m
= 1 + e cos 1 + 2
r
l

(We have assumed that M>>m.)

( 0 )

35. a) Show that for a particle moving in an inverse square force field the Runge-Lenz
vector is a constant of motion (Solved in Goldsetin)
b) Consider a charged particle of mass m and charged q moving in the presence of
r
!
!
r
r
r
an electromagnetic field of the form: E = Q 3 and B = M 3 show that the
r
r
angular momentum is not conserved.
Show that the angular momentum! = !(!!) is not constant but the
! ! qMr!
vector D = L !
is. (We are using Gaussian Unit with c=1.)
r
36. A particle of mass m is moving in a circle of radius R in the presence of a central
force whose origin lies on the circumference of a circle. Find the form of the
potential. What is the total energy of the particle assuming V (r) ! 0 as r ! " .
Find out the time period of motion as a function of the orbital angular momentum,
R and m.
Many problems those were discussed in the class or given as homework problems are
not written explicitly. You must NOT forget them.