Spring 2002 Qualifying Examination—Classical Mechanics

IMPORTANT: Please answer all three questions.

________________________________________________________________________

1. [40 points total] A platform of mass M sits on a frictionless table. Two identical
blocks of mass m are attached with identical springs to a post fixed to the platform. The
springs are massless and have force constant k. The blocks move on the frictionless
surface of the platform and are constrained to move along the x axis (parallel to the table
surface and in the plane of this paper).

m m

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

X
M
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

A. [10 points] Give the Lagrangian of the system of masses and springs.

B. [25 points] Calculate the normal frequencies of the system.

C. [5 points] Describe the normal modes of vibration corresponding to these frequencies.

1
2. [30 points total] A particle of mass m moves in a central potential U(r).

A. [4 points] Show the angular momentum, L, about the center force, r=0, is
conserved.

B. [2 points] Show that the motion of the particle must lie in a plane perpendicular
to L.

C. [5 points] Show that the total energy may be written

E=1/2 m rD 2 + Ueff , where Ueff (r) =L2/(2 m r2) + U(r)

and where L is the magnitude of L.

D. [5 points] Assume a circular orbit of radius R exists; then show

E = Ueff (R) and

d Ueff /dr|r=R = 0

E. [4 points] State the condition for which the circular orbits specified in D are
stable.

F. [10 points] Let the central force be F = - (b/ r2 – c/ r4) r̂ , where b>0 and c>0 and
r̂ is the unit vector in the radial direction. Calculate the values of R that give rise
to stable orbits as a function of L, b and c.

2
3. [30 points total] A wedge of mass M sits on a frictionless table. A block of mass m
slides on the frictionless slope of the wedge. The angle of the wedge with respect to the
table is θ. Take x positive to the right. Let the coordinates for m be (x1,y1) and for the
point of the wedge x2.

y m

MM

x θ
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

A. [8 points] Write the constraint equation for the block sliding on the wedge and the
Lagrangian for the block and wedge.

B. [22 points] Calculate the Lagrange equations of motion for the block and wedge using
the method of Lagrange Multipliers to incorporate the constraint..