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Mechanics: Physics 151
Mechanics: Physics 151
Physics 151
Lecture 3
Lagrange’s Equations
(Goldstein Chapter 1)
Hamilton’s Principle
(Chapter 2)
What We Did Last Time
! Discussed multi-particle systems
! Internal and external forces
! Laws of action and reaction
! Introduced constraints
! Generalized coordinates
! Introduced Lagrange’s Equations
! ... and didn’t do the derivation
" Let’s pick it up and start from there
Today’s Goals
! Derive Lagrange’s Eqn from Newton’s Eqn
! Use D’Alembert’s principle
! There will be a few assumptions
! Will make them clear as we go
Kinetic energy
d ∂L ∂L
− =0 L(q, q! , t ) ≡ T − V
dt ∂q! j ∂q j Potential energy
Lagrangian
d ∂T ∂T mvi2
= ∑ − δ q j T ≡∑
∂q!
j dt
j ∂q j i 2
Done!
Assumptions We Made
! Constraints are holonomic ri = ri ( q1 , q2 ,..., qn , t )
! We always assume this
! Constraint forces do no work fiδ ri = 0
! Forget frictions
! Applied forces are conservative Fi = −∇iV
Lagrange’s Eqn. itself is OK if V depends explicitly on t
!
∂V
! Potential V does not depend on q j ! =0
∂q! j
Will review the last assumption later
Example: Time-Dependent
! Transformation functions may depend on t
! Generalized coordinate system may move
ri = ri ( q j , t )
! E.g. coordinate system fixed to the Earth
! An example
spring constant K
natural length l
mass m on a rail
l+r
angular velocity α
Example: Time-Dependent
x = (l + r ) cos α t
! Transformation functions:
y = (l + r ) sin α t
Kinetic energy T = { x! 2 + y! 2 } = {r! 2 + (l + r ) 2 α 2 }
m m
!
2 2
K 2
! Potential energy V = r
2
L = {r! + (l + r ) α } − r
m 2 2 2 K 2
2 2
d ∂L ∂L
Lagrange’s Equation − = !!
mr − mα 2
(l + r ) + Kr = 0
dt ∂r! ∂r
Example: Time-Dependent
d ∂L ∂L
− = !!
mr − m α 2
(l + r ) + Kr = 0
dt ∂r! ∂r
m α 2
l
mr!! + ( K − mα ) r −
2
2
=0
K − mα
K − mα 2
! If K > mα2, a harmonic oscillator with ω =
m
! Center of oscillation is shifted by
L = T (q j , q! j , t ) − U (q j , q! j , t )
EM Force on Particle
! Lorentz force on a charged particle
Velocity-dependent.
F = q[E + ( v × B)] Can’t find a usual
! E and B fields are given by potential V
∂A
E = −∇φ − B = ∇× A Physics 15b
∂t
! Force is v-dependent " Need a v-dependent potential
U = qφ − qA ⋅ v works check
1 2
! Lagrangian is L = mv − qφ + qA ⋅ v
2
Monogenic System
! If all forces in a system are derived from a generalized
potential,
∂U d ∂U
its called a monogenic system Qj = − +
∂q j
dt ∂q! j
! U is a function of q, q! , t
! Lorentz force is monogenic
! A monogenic system is conservative only if U = U (q)
∂U ∂U
! Or = =0
∂q! ∂t
! Lagrange’s Equation works on a monogenic system
Hamilton’s Principle
! We derived Lagrange’s Eqn from Newton’s Eqn using
a “differential principle”
! D’Alembert’s principle uses infinitesimal displacements
! It’s possible to do it with an “integral principle”
Hamilton’s Principle
Configuration Space
! Generalized coordinates q1,...,qn fully describe the
system’s configuration at any moment
configuration
! Imagine an n-dimensional space
space
! Each point in this space (q1,...,qn)
corresponds to one configuration of the system
! Time evolution of the system " A curve in the
configuration space
real space configuration space
Action Integral
! A system is moving as q j = q j (t ) j = 1...n
! Lagrangian is L(q, q! , t ) = L(q(t ), q! (t ), t )
t2
integrate I = ∫ Ldt Action, or action integral
t1
t2
! Define I (α ) ≡ ∫t L(q (t ) + αη (t ), q! (t ) + αη! (t ), t )dt
1