Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur / Department of Physics

PHY 102 / Problem Set IV / 21-8-2017 / AS

Work-Energy Theorem, Conservative and Non-Conservative Forces, Phase-Space Plots

1. The Work-Energy Theorem relates velocity to distance. The velocity of a particle varies
from one inertial frame to another. Using a simple one-dimensional example, demonstrate
the Galilean invariance of the Work-Energy Theorem.

2. Use the Work-Energy Theorem to estimate the drag force due to air resistance on a
moving automobile of cross-sectional area A. Which of the opposing forces is larger,
friction or air resistance?

3. For the problem of a bead sliding on a smooth rotating rod, where the bead’s radial
distance increases as r(t) = r0 cosh ωt, show that the work done by the normal reaction
exactly matches with the change in the kinetic energy of the bead.

4. A block of mass M slides along a horizontal ta-

ble with speed v0 . At x = 0 it hits a spring
with spring constant k and begins to experience
a friction force. The coefficient of friction is
variable and is given by µ = bx, where b is
a constant. Find the loss in mechanical energy
when the block has first come momentarily to rest.

5. A particle of mass m is moving in a potential given by V (x) = −λx for x < 0 and
V (x) = 12 kx2 for x > 0. If the total energy of the particle is E, find the turning points
and the time taken by the particle to complete one oscillation.

6. A stiff wire is bent into the shape y = −αx2 + βx4 in the vertical plane, where q α, β are
positive constants. A bead passing over the wire is released from rest at x0 = α/β, and
it starts sliding towards the origin (x = 0). Assuming that the bead slides without any
friction, show that the time taken by the bead to reach the origin diverges logarithmically.
The origin is therefore a “terminal point” for energy E = 0. [Hint: dt = ds/v ≈ dx/v
R R R

near the origin. Potential energy U(y) = mgy]

 7. A bead slides without friction on a smooth, stiff wire bent in the shape of a cycloid in the
vertical plane: x = c(α + sin α) and y = c(1 − cos α), where c is a positive constant and
the parametric angle α lies in the range −π ≤ α ≤ π. Show that (a) mechanical energy
conservation yields:
g
(1 + cos α)α̇2 + (1 − cos α) = constant
c
and (b) the bead performs oscillations with a fixed time period, irrespective of the
amplitude. [Hint: substitute u = sin(α/2)].

8. A uniform rod of mass m and length 2l has one end

smoothly pivoted at a fixed point O. The other end is
connected to a fixed point A (which is a distance 2l ver-
tically above O) by a light spring of natural length l and
spring constant k = mg/2l.
(a) What is the total potential energy of the system ?
(b) Show that there are two equilibrium positions of the
rod, and determine their stability.

9. (a) Sketch the field lines for the following non-conservative forces and show that the line
integrals F~ .d~l over the indicated closed paths are nonvanishing.
H

(i) F~ = C(−îy + ĵx): closed circular path in the x-y plane centered at (0,0).
(ii) F~ = C k̂(x2 + y 2 ): closed rectangular path in the y-z plane.

(i) represents the force on a charged particle in the accelerating machine “beta-
tron”. (ii) represents a correction to the electric field in a parallel-plate capacitor driven
by a high-frequency alternating voltage source.

(b) Check that ∇ × F 6= 0 for the forces given in (i) and (ii), confirming that
these forces are non-conservative.

10. Verify Stokes’ theorem Γ F.dl = S (∇ × F).dS for a vector field F = C(−îy + ĵx), with
H R

a circle of radius R as the contour Γ.

11. A wind turbine converts wind kinetic energy intercepted by its large turbine blades into
rotational energy, and thus into electrical energy. Estimate the electrical power output
if the turbine blade radius is 50m and wind speed is 36 km/hr. Assume a reasonable
efficiency factor η = 25% for the kinetic to electrical energy conversion. Take ρair =
1kg/m3 . If the wind speed gets doubled, the electrical power output increases by how
many times?
12. A rod of negligible mass is attached to a stretched
steel wire as shown. A heavy cylinder of mass M
can be threaded up or down the rod, allowing the
distance L to be varied. The potential energy of the
system is given by:
1
V (θ) − V (0) = Kθ2 − MgL(1 − cos θ)
2
where K is the torsional coefficient of the steel wire.
(a) Sketch the potential energy function (for both
positive and negative θ) for the two cases (i) L <
K/Mg and (ii) L > K/Mg. (b) Obtain the equilib-
rium configuration θeq for the two cases. [Hint: ex-
pand cos θ up to the quartic term.] This is a mechan-
ical realization of spontaneous symmetry breaking.

13. Sketch the following potential-energy functions (for both +ive and -ive x, unless
otherwise indicated), locate all stable equilibrium points, and obtain the frequency of
small oscillations about these equilibrium points for a particle of mass m. Here a, b are
positive constants in all three cases.
(a) V (x) = −ax + bx2
(b) V (x) = −ax2 + bx4
(c) V (x) = ax + b/x (x > 0)

14. Phase-space trajectories: A particle P of unit mass moves along the positive x axis under
the force:
36 9
F = 3− 2 (x > 0)
x x
(a) Find and plot the potential energy U(x) (choose the constant such that U(2) = 0).
For what range of total energy E is the motion periodic ? (b) What are the fixed points of
P in the phase space ? Is there any stable fixed point ? Draw the phase space trajectories
of P, clearly marking the flow directions and the bounding energies. (c) Initially, P is
projected from the point x = 4 with speed v = 0.5. Is the motion of P bounded or
unbounded ? If it is bounded, find the time period. You may need to use the formula:
b xdx π(a + b)
Z
=
a [(x − a)(b − x)] 2
15. For a particle of mass m moving in one dimension, construct the complete phase-space
plots for the following three potentials, clearly marking the flow directions and the
bounding energies E.
a) V (x) = −mgx
b) V (x) = 21 kx2
c) V (x) = −ax2 + bx4 (a, b > 0).

16. A block of mass m rests on a horizontal surface and is attached to a spring of spring-
constant k. The coefficient of friction is µ between the block and the surface (µs = µk ).
Plot the phase-space trajectories for the following sets of initial conditions:
(a) ẋ(0) = 0, x(0) = 3µmg/k
(b) ẋ(0) = 0, x(0) = −4µmg/k
(a) ẋ(0) = 0, x(0) = µmg/2k

17. Additional Problems: KK / 4.7,13 & 5.1,2,8

Tutorial Problems for 24 Aug: Q 3 and 6; 8 (briefly)

(More problems will be done in next week’s tutorial).