Classical Mechanics

Solution Set 1 Due: 28 August 2013 This and all future homework will be posted on the course webpage: http://www.phys.u.edu/thorn/homepage/cminfo.html In the homework assignments, I will refer to problems in Goldstein by prexing the problem number with G. 1. G, Problem 1.14 Solution: Choose coordinates so the circle is in the xy -plane centered at the origin. Then a point on the circle has position vector R = a(cos , sin ). In spherical coordinates centered on the point R, the two mass points have position vectors r = (l/2)(cos sin , sin sin , cos ). Thus the position vectors of the two particles in the rst system are r 1,2 = R r and their kinetic energy is T =
2 m 2 2 + sin2 2 2 ) = ma2 2 + ml ( 1 + r 2 (r 2) 2 ) = m(R + r 2 4

(1)

where we have chosen , , as the generalized coordinates. 2. G, Problem 1.17 Solution: This is an exercise in conservation of momentum. The initial state has zero momentum, so the momenta of the nal state particles must add to zero. The electron, with momentum (0, 0, 3) = (0, 0, 2 cos[/6]) MeV/c and neutrino, with momentum (1, 0, 0) = (2 sin[/6], 0, 0) MeV/c, have total momentum 2(sin[/6], 0, cos[/6]) MeV/c, which makes an angle of 30 with the momentum of the electron. The nucleus recoils in a direction opposite to this. Its momentum is 2(sin[/6], 0, cos[/6]) MeV/c, which has magnitude 2MeV/c. The recoil kinetic energy is Trecoil p2 /2m, so we convert 1kg= 1030 /1.78 MeV/c2 so the mass of the nucleus is (3.90 105 /1.78) MeV/c2 . Trecoil = 3.56 105 MeV 9.13 eV 3.90 (2)

3. An important example of a Lagrangian that is not of the form T (q i ) V (qi ) is that for a charged particle moving in a static magnetic eld B = A, with A/t = 0: L = m 2 + qr A(r ). r 2 1 (3)

a) Show that the corresponding Lagrange equations are simply Newtons law with the force given by F = q v B . Solution: We need to calculate L = mr k + qAk , r k Then the Lagrange equations are d mr k + qAk dt k A = qr L k A = qr rk (4)

k A q mr k = q r

d k k A q r Ak A = qr dt ( A)]k = q [r = qr B mr

(5)

b) Calculate the energy (i.e. the Hamiltonian H ), and comment on its simple form. Solution: Plugging into the formula for the Hamiltonian, we have H =
k

r k

L L r k m 2 m 2 qr A(r ) = r . r 2 2 (6)

(mr + q Ak ) = r

This is the same as the energy of a free particle! The magnetic eld exerts a force perpendicular to the velocity of the particle, so it does no work. Thus the particle gains no potential energy its energy is purely kinetic throughout its motion. 4. The Lagrangian for a relativistic free particle is not quadratic in the velocities: L = mc
2

2 r 1 2 c

(7)

and obtain and solve the Lagrange equations. a) Calculate and interpret L/ r Solution:The derivative w.r.t. r k is L = r k mr k 2 /c2 1r = mv k 1 v 2 /c2 (8)

which is precisely the momentum of a relativistic particle. Since L is independent of r , the Lagrange equations are simply d dt mr 1r
2

/c2

dp =0 dt

(9)

b) Obtain the Hamiltonian and comment on its relation to the relativistic energy. Solution: Plug into the formula for the Hamiltonian: H = v = mr
2

1r mv + mc2 mv 2 /c2
2

L= =

mv 2 1 mc2 v 2 /c2

+ mc2 = mc2

1 v 2 /c2 (10)

1 v 2 /c2

1 v 2 /c2

which is precisely the energy of a free relativistic particle. A(r ) to L and show that the Lagrange equations give the correct c) Add the term q r relativistic equation of motion in a static magnetic eld. dp B. = qr dt where p = mv / 1 v 2 /c2 Solution: Referring to the previous problem we see that the only change is that the nonrelativistic momentum is replaced by the relativistic momentum: mr k L = + qAk = pk + qAk , k 2 2 r 1 v /c L k A = qr rk (12) (11)

repeating the algebra of that problem then leads to the desired result. d) Obtain the Hamiltonian for a relativistic particle in a magnetic eld and comment. Solution: Since the q v A enter the same way in v L/ r k and L the A dependence again cancels in H with the result that the Hamiltonian is the same as that of a relativistic free particle, H = mc2 . This is to be expected for the same reason as in problem 3 namely, the magnetic force does no work.