Adding a Dissipative Forces in the Hamiltonian

The method of calculus of variation is the technique we used to derive Euler-

Lagrange Equation and the Hamiltonian of a particle (particles).

We had seen the Euler-Lagrange Equation holds for conservative systems, then we
had extended the problem to include external forces through the notion of
generalized forces, and we had incorporated the constraining forces through
Lagrange multipliers, one last thing we need to do is how to introduce dissipative
forces in this formulation. To do so, let us review the old relations:

But the term in

parenthesis is H(p…,q…,t)
dH ∂ L
+ =0
dt ∂ t

When there is non conservative forces and these forces can be derived from a
dissipative function F, we can show that F can be related to the rate the decrease of
H. thus, we arrive at the following form, for Example if the dissipative force is a
1 2 dF
drag force, f =B ẋthen we can use F= 2 B ẋ such that f = d ẋ

dH ∂ L
+ =¿
dt ∂ t

and as you may remember for any homogenous function of the quadratic of q’ we
can write the above sum as -2F thus
dH ∂ L
+ =−2 F
dt ∂ t

As we may remember that H is not always the same as E (the total Energy), but
∂L
when L is not an explicit function of time ( ∂ t =0¿ and U(q….) only then H=E

And therefore
dE
=−2 F
dt
Holonomic systems If a system has only geometrical or integrable
kinematical constraints, then it is said to be holonomic. If it has non-integrable
kinematical constraints, then it is non-holonomic.
Non-holonomic systems are the bad guys. In particular, non-holonomic systems do
not satisfy Lagrange’s equations.

CONFIGURATION SPACE (q–space)

Let S be a holonomic mechanical system with generalized coordinates
q1 . . . , qn. It is convenient to regard the list of values q1, . . . , qn as the
coordinates of a ‘point’ q in a space of n dimensions, that is,
q = (q1, . . . , qn).
Mathematicians call such a space En (the Euclidean space of n dimensions), but we
will denote it by Q (the space to which q belongs) and call it configuration space.
Since the values of q1, . . . , qn determine the configuration of the system S, it
follows that the configuration of S is determined by the ‘position’ of the point q in
configuration space, that is,
ri = ri (q) (i = 1, . . . , N).

This abstract view becomes much clearer when applied to a particular example. Let
S be the two-particle system shown in the Figure below. This system has two
degrees of freedom and generalized coordinates x, θ. In this case the configuration
space Q is the (x, θ)-plane.
Each point q = (x, θ) lying in Q corresponds to a configuration of the mechanical
system S. Moreover, as the configuration of the system changes with time, the
point q moves through the configuration space as shown.

Figure Configuration of system S: the

particles with the applied and constraint Figure Point q in configuration space
forces
Figure For the generally rolling wheel, the rolling
conditions are