LAGRANGIANS FOR HARMONIC OSCILLATORS

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Post date: 17 September 2021.
The Euler-Lagrange equations of motion, derived from the principle of
least action are

d ∂L ∂L
− =0 (1)
dt ∂ q̇i ∂qi
where qi and q˙i are the generalized coordinates and velocities, respectively.
Here are a couple of simple examples of how these equations can be used
to derive equations of motion.
Example 1. The harmonic oscillator. We have a mass m sliding on a fric-
tionless horizontal surface with a spring of spring constant k connected be-
tween one end of the mass and a fixed support. The horizontal displacement
of the mass from its equilibrium position is given by x, with x < 0 when the
mass moves to the left, compressing the spring, and x > 0 when it moves to
the right, stretching the spring.
For systems where the potential energy V (qi ) is independent of the ve-
locities q̇i , the Lagrangian can be written as

L = T −V (2)
where T is the kinetic energy. In the case of the mass on a spring, we have

1
T = mẋ2 (3)
2
1
V = kx2 (4)
2
1 1
L = mẋ2 − kx2 (5)
2 2
The equation of motion is

d ∂L ∂L
− = mẍ + kx = 0 (6)
dt ∂ q̇i ∂qi
mẍ = −kx (7)
1
 LAGRANGIANS FOR HARMONIC OSCILLATORS 2

which is the familiar equation for the force on the mass equal to −kx.
Example 2. We can revisit the problem of two masses coupled by three
springs, as described earlier. In this case, we have two coordinates x1 and
x2 . The total kinetic energy is
1
T = m ẋ21 + ẋ22


(8)
2
The total potential energy is

1 1 1
V = kx21 + k (x2 − x1 )2 + kx22 (9)
2 2 2
2 2


= k x1 + x 2 − x1 x2 (10)
The Lagrangian and equations of motion are then

1
L = m ẋ21 + ẋ22 − k x21 + x22 − x1 x2



(11)
2
d ∂L ∂L
− = mẍ1 + 2kx1 − kx2 = 0 (12)
dt ∂ ẋ1 ∂x1
d ∂L ∂L
− = mẍ2 + 2kx2 − kx1 = 0 (13)
dt ∂ ẋ2 ∂x2
This gives the same equations of motion we had earlier.

k k
ẍ1 = −2 x1 + x2 (14)
m m
k k
ẍ2 = x1 − 2 x2 (15)
m m
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