Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Dr. Yasir Iqbal

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

Lecture-03

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Topics that will be covered in this Lecture

1 Motion in One-Dimensional Potential

2 Turning points
3 Time-Energy Equation
4 Time period of periodic motion

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Motion in One-Dimensional Potential

The motion of a particle restricted to move in one-dimension,say the

x-axis is studied.Although it is relatively simple, it illustrates several
general features,and this helps us understand more complicated kinds of
motion.
Let the one-dimensional coordinate be called x , and let the force be only
a function of x . In particular it does not contain time t or speed ẋ .
Newton’s second law reads:
d 2x
m = F (x ) (1)
dt 2
Simple harmonic motion is a special case with F(x)=-kx where k > 0 is
constant.

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Motion in One-Dimensional Potential
While this is a second order differential equation, it can integrated once
in the following way. Multiply both sides by the speed ẋ to get:
dx d 2 x dx
m 2
= F (x ) (2)
dt dt dt
and realize that
dx d 2 x 1 d dx 2
2
= ( ) (3)
dt dt 2 dt dt
Now let’s define a function V(x) as:
dV (x )
F (x ) = − (4)
dx
Note that this can always be done for any function F(x) as V(x) is
nothing but (the negative) its integral. Therefore
d dx d dx
− V (x ) = − V (x ) = F (x ) (5)
dt dt dx dt
Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential
Motion in One-Dimensional Potential

Using equation (3) and (5) in equation (2) we get :

2 !
d 1 dx

m + V (x ) =0 (6)
dt 2 dt

Thus the quantity within the brackets must be a constant, independent

of time, but dependent on initial conditions. Denoting this as E, we get:
2
1 dx

m + V (x ) = E (7)
2 dt

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Motion in One-Dimensional Potential

If the initial speed is x˙0 and initial position is x0 then:

1
E = mx˙0 2 + V (x0 ) (8)
2
Although the position and speed with change with time, the combination
in Eq.(7) will remain the same.
The physical interpretation of the E is that it is the Total Energy, while
of course the first term in the Kinetic Energy and V(x) is the Potential
Energy.
The negative sign in the definition of V(x) is to ensure that the total
energy is defined as the sum of these two quantities.

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Turning Points
Consider a one-dimensional time independent potential, If V(x) rises
higher than the particles’s total energy(E) on either side,then the particle
is ”stuck” in the potential well.It rocks back and forth between turning
points, but it cannot escape (unless we provide with some extra source of
energy).

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Turning points

If on the other hand, E exceeds V(x) on one side (or both),then the
particle comes in from ”infinity”,slows down or speeds up under the
influence of potential, and returns to infinity.

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

 Turning points

The particle will oscillate back and forth between the classical turning points
x1 and x2 . The Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy will interconvert with
the total energy staying constant.

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Time-Energy Equation

With reference to equation (7) we can write :

dx q
m = ± 2m(E − V (x )) (9)
dt

Say in some time interval p > 0, and the particle goes from x0 at time t0
to x1 at time t1 . Then we have as a consequence of the above that
Z t1 Z x1 r
m 1
dt = p dx (10)
t0 x0 2 (E − V (x ))

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential

Time-Energy Equation

When V(x)=E, the momentum

vanishes and the particle ”turns”
and these turning points are
important.
If there are two solutions to the
equation V(x)=E, then these
two turning points are such that
the particle performs oscillations
between these at energy E.
In the figure where the turning
points are marked as A and B
for some trajectory whose energy
is indicated by the horizontal
line. Let the coordinates here be
xA and xB . Then the time to go
from A to B:
Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential
Time Period of Periodic Motion

. Then the time to go from A to B:

Z xB r
m 1
TA→B = p dx (11)
xA 2 (E − V (x ))
The time to go from B back to A, the ”return journey” is:
Z xA r
m −1
TB→A = p dx = TA→B (12)
xB 2 (E − V (x ))
The momentum is negative on this part and we take the negative sign in
Eq.(9). Thus the time to go on the return journey, actually any segment
of it, is equal to that of the forward. Thus the time period of the
periodic motion is:
Z xB r
m 1
T =2 p dx (13)
xA 2 (E − V (x ))

Dr. Yasir Iqbal Motion in 1-Dimensional Potential