Analytical Mechanics II Sem.

2021-1
Problem set 1 Deadline for solutions: 09-04-2021
1.1 Infinitely deep potential well t

A point mass m that t’’

moves without friction in a
one-dimensional potential ... ...
well of width a with
infinitely high walls,
⇢ q-2” q-1” q’ t’ q0” q1” q2”
0 |q| < a/2, 3a/2 5a/2
V (q) = −5a/2 −3a/2 −a/2 0 a/2 q
1 |q| a/2, ... n = −2 n = −1 n=0 n=1 n=2 ...
can be analyzed as a boundary value problem if the initial and final positions are fixed,
but not the corresponding momenta.
a
For the boundary conditions q(t0 ) = q 0 , q(t00 ) = q 00 , find all possible solutions of the La-
grangian equations of motion for this system. You can construct all of them systematically
by “unfolding” the trajectories at the walls, that is, by extending the potential box ad in-
finitum along the entire real axis (i.e., removing the wall) and replacing the reflections at
the walls by straight lines. This is equivalent to replacing the final point q 00 = q000 by its
multiple mirror images qn00 generated by all (repeated) reflections at the left or the right
wall. The solutions can then be labeled with an index n enumerating the unit cell in which
the endpoint qn00 of the “unfolded” trajectory lies.
b
For each solution, calculate the energy, the momentum, and the action accumulated along
the trajectory, as functions of q 0 , q 00 , and n. Hint: The results depend also on the parity
of n, that is, on whether n is even or odd.
1.2 Legendre transformation
Define a Legendre transformation by the derivative of the original function y = F (x) to
be transformed,
⇣ ⇡x ⌘
f (x) = F 0 (x) = sin , 0  x  1.
2
a Rx
Determine the original function as the integral F (x) = 0 dx0 f (x0 ), and likewise its Leg-
R⇠
endre transform as the integral ⌦(⇠) = 0 d⇠ 0 !(⇠ 0 ) of the inverse function ! = f 1 .
b
Check the identity
F (x) + ⌦(⇠) = x⇠.
1.3 Canonical transformations conserve symplectic area
Prove that canonical transformations (p0 , q0 ) ! (p00 , q00 ) generated by generating func-
tions of type F3 (p0 , q00 ), depending on the “old” momenta p0 and the “new” positions
q00 , conserve symplectic area, A0 = A00 , where A0 = p01 · q02 p02 · q01 and A00 =
p001 · q002 p002 · q001 .