SPA5304 Physical Dynamics Homework 5

Due on Friday 15th February 2019 at 16:00

Only one of the problems will be marked. Please solve both problems.

Problem 1 [20 marks]

A particle of mass m is constrained to move on the surface of a cylinder of radius R. The
basis of the cylinder lies on the (x̂, ŷ) plane, and the axis of the cylinder is the ẑ-axis. A
spring of spring constant k and negligible equilibrium length connects the particle to the
origin O of the coordinate system.

(a) How many degrees of freedom does the system have? [2]

(b) Write the Lagrangian and the Euler-Lagrange equations for the system, using cylindrical
coordinates (r, φ, z). [7]

(c) Explain the conservation of the momentum pφ associated to φ using Noether’s theorem.
What is the corresponding invariant? [5]

(d) Based on the result in (c), write the energy as a function of z and ż and solve the
equations of motion. What kind of motion is possible? [6]

1
Problem 2 [20 marks]
A particle of mass m can slide along a rigid rod of length l and negligible mass. One end
of the rod is fixed at the origin O of an inertial system (x̂, ŷ, ẑ), and the rod forms a fixed
angle α with the ẑ-axis. The rod rotates about the ẑ-axis with constant angular velocity ω.
Gravity acts vertically, as usual.

(a) How many degrees of freedom does the system have? [3]

(b) Choosing convenient generalised coordinates, write down the Lagrangian and the Euler-
Lagrange equations. [6]

(c) Recast the problem as a one-dimensional motion in an effective potential Veff . Write
down the expression for Veff and determine the equilibrium positions and their stability.
[6]

(d) Write down the angular momentum of the particle with respect to the origin of the
coordinates. [5]