PHYS343 Assignment 2

Nathan Ngo
March 2023

Q1
(a)
By T = 21 mv 2 ,
1 ′2
Ttotal = θ (m1 L21 + m2 L22 + m3 L23 + m4 L24 )
2
Note that θ′ = dθ
dt .

(b)
By U = mgh,

Utotal = m1 gL1 (1 − cosθ) + m2 gL2 (1 − cos(0.5π + θ))

+m3 gL3 (1 − cos(π + θ)) + m4 gL4 (1 − cos(1.5π + θ))

(c)
By L = T − U ,
1 ′2
L= θ (m1 L21 + m2 L22 + m3 L3 + m4 L4 ) − m1 gL1 (1 − cosθ) − m2 gL2 (1−
2
cos(0.5π + θ)) − m3 gL3 (1 − cos(π + θ)) − m4 gL4 (1 − cos(1.5π + θ))

(d)
Differentiating L with respect to θ, we get
∂L
= −m1 gL1 sinθ − m2 gL2 sin(0.5π + θ)
∂θ
−m3 gL3 sin(π + θ) − m4 gL4 sin(1.5π + θ)

Differentiating L with respect to θ′ , we get

∂L
= θ′ (m1 L21 + m2 L22 + m3 L23 + m4 L24 )
∂θ′

1
 ∂L d ∂L
By ∂θ = dt ∂θ ′ , we get

−m1 gL1 sinθ − m2 gL2 sin(0.5π + θ) − m3 gL3 sin(π + θ)−

m4 gL4 sin(1.5π + θ) = θ′′ (m1 L21 + m2 L22 + m3 L23 + m4 L24 )

(d)
By θ′′ = 0, we get

−m1 gL1 sinθ − m2 gL2 sin(0.5π + θ) − m3

gL3 sin(π + θ) − m4 gL4 sin(1.5π + θ) = 0

−m1 L1 sinθ − m2 L2 cos(θ) + m3 L3 sin(θ) + m4 L4 cos(θ) = 0

(m3 L3 − m1 L1 )sinθ = (m2 L2 − m4 L4 )cosθ
m2 L2 − m4 L4
θ = tan−1 ( )
m3 L3 − m1 L1

2
Q2
(a)
We know the velocity vector of the ring and the mass m is

⃗v = (0, Rθ̇, RΦ̇sinθ)

By T = 21 mv 2 , we get

1
T = (M + m)R2 (θ̇2 + Φ̇2 sin2 θ)
2

(b)
By U = mgh, we get

U = (M + m)g(−RsinθcosΦ)

(c)
By L = T − U , we get
1
L= (M + m)R2 (θ̇2 + Φ̇2 sin2 θ) − (M + m)g(−RsinθcosΦ)
2
1
L = (M + m)R2 (θ̇2 + Φ̇2 sin2 θ) + (M + m)(RsinθcosΦ)
2

(d)
Differentiating L with respect to Φ, we get
∂L
= (M + m)(−RsinθsinΦ)
∂Φ

Differentiating L with respect to Φ̇, we get

∂L
= (M + m)(R2 Φ̇sin2 θ)
∂ Φ̇
∂L d ∂L
By ∂Φ = dt ∂ Φ̇ , we get

(M + m)(−RsinθsinΦ) = (M + m)(R2 Φ̇sin2 θ)

−sinΦ = RΦ̇sinθ

3
(e)
Differentiating L with respect to θ, we get
∂L 1
= (M + m)[ R2 Φ̇2 2sinθcosθ + RcosθcosΦ]
∂θ 2
∂L
= R(M + m)[RΦ̇2 sinθ + cosθcosΦ]
∂θ

Differentiating L with respect to θ̇, we get

∂L 1
= (M + m)( R2 θ̇)
∂ θ̇ 2
∂L d ∂L
By ∂θ = dt ∂ θ̇ , we get

1
R(M + m)[RΦ̇2 sinθ + cosθcosΦ] = (M + m)( R2 θ̈)
2
2 1
Φ̇ sinθ + cosθcosΦ = θ̈
2