Memorize the following points:

𝝏𝑳
𝟏. 𝒑𝒌 = is called 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚
𝝏𝒒̇ 𝒌

𝟐. 𝐻𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛 is defined as 𝑯 = ∑ 𝒑𝒌 𝒒̇ 𝒌 − 𝑳 .

𝟑. 𝑳 𝑖s a function of 𝒒𝒌 and 𝒒̇ 𝒌 whereas 𝑯 is a function of 𝒒𝒌 and 𝒑𝒌

𝟒. If 𝑯 is independent of 𝒕 explicitly, 𝑯 = 𝑻 + 𝑽 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦

5. 𝐻𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 are given by ∶

𝝏𝑯
𝒑̇ 𝒌 = −
𝝏𝒒𝒌

𝝏𝑯
𝒒̇𝒌 =
𝝏𝒑𝒌

EXAMPLES:

Example 1:
Find the Hamiltonian and equations of motion of one dimensional
spring.
 𝜕𝐿
where 𝑝 = 𝑝𝑥 = is the 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚
𝜕𝑥̇
Thus

𝒑
As 𝑯 has to a function of 𝒙 and 𝒑𝒙 only, eliminate 𝒙̇ by putting 𝒙̇ = in 𝑻
𝒎
Equations of motion are given by

𝜕𝐻 𝜕𝐻
𝑝𝑥̇ = − 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥̇ = , here 𝑝𝑥 is taken as 𝑝
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑝𝑥
 𝑝𝑥
𝑝𝑥̇ = −𝑘𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥̇ = → 𝑝𝑥 = 𝑚𝑥̇ → 𝑝̇𝑥 = 𝑚𝑥̈
𝑚
∴ −𝑘𝑥 = 𝑚𝑥̈ or 𝒎𝒙̈ + 𝒌𝒙 = 𝟎.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Example 2:

and …………………………………..(1)
 and …………………………………………………………….(2)

Simplifying (1)

and …………………….(3)

Simplifying (2)

and ………………………………………….(4)

(3) and (4) are the required Hamilton’s equations of motion

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Example 3:
𝑯 has to be in terms of 𝒓, 𝜽, 𝝋, 𝒑𝒓 , 𝒑𝜽 , 𝒑𝝋 . Hence 𝒓̇, 𝜽̇, 𝝋̇ has to be eliminated.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Example 4: Simple Pendulum

 𝝏𝑳
Generalized momentum is 𝒑𝜽 = = 𝒎𝒍𝟐 𝜽̇
𝝏𝜽̇

𝑝𝜃
𝒑̇ 𝜽 = −𝑚𝑔𝑙 sin 𝜃 and 𝜃̇ = 2
→ 𝒑̇ 𝜽 = 𝑚𝑙2 𝜃̈
𝑚𝑙

∴ − 𝑚𝑔𝑙 sin 𝜃 = 𝑚𝑙2 𝜃̈

This is the required equation of motion

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Example 5: Spherical Pendulum

𝑥 = 𝑙 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜑 , 𝑦 = 𝑙 sin 𝜃 sin 𝜑 , 𝑧 = 𝑙 cos 𝜃

1
𝑇= 𝑚 (𝑥̇ 2 + 𝑦̇ 2 + 𝑧̇ 2 )
2

𝑉 = −𝑚𝑔𝑙 cos 𝜃 , taking the ceiling as the reference

𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 are given by

 

Hamiltonian is given by

…………………………………………………………………………………..

Example 6:
here 𝑞1 = 𝜃 and 𝑞2 = 𝑧

also 𝑟 2 = 𝑅 2 + 𝑧 2

𝑥 = 𝑅 cos 𝜃 and 𝑦 = 𝑅 sin 𝜃 , where 𝑅 is constant as it is radius of the cylinder

𝜕𝑉 1 1
𝐹=− → 𝑽 = 𝑘𝑟 2 = 𝑘(𝑅2 + 𝑧 2 )
𝜕𝑟 2 2

Generalized Momenta are given by

Alternatively, 𝑯 can be found out using 𝑯 = 𝑻 + 𝑽