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Questions on Theoretical mechanics 2022-2023

1. Decribe the principle of least action and obtain the Lagrange equations

from this principle.

2. From the homogeneity of time, prove that the energy of the closed system is
s
L
E   q̇ i  L  const
conserved (or is an integral of motion), i 1
q̇ i .

3. Consider an infinitesimal displacement ε   ra of the entire system in space ( ra is

the position vector of a-particle of the system, and va is its velocity in Catersian
coordinates), from the homogeneity of space, prove that the momentum of the closed
L
P   const
system is conserved: a
v a .

4. Consider an infinitesimal rotation  φ of the entire system in space and

displacement of an a-particle is  rφa r   a ( ra is the position vector of a-particle of the
system, and va is its velocity in Catersian coordinates), from the isotropy of space, prove

M   ra  pa  const
that the angular momentum of the closed system is conserved: a .

5. a) Show the two interacting particle problem (two- body problem) with Lagrangian
1 1 r ,r ṙ 1, ṙ 2
L  m1ṙ 12  m2 ṙ 22  U  r1  r2  1 2
2 2 ( are position vectors and are the velocities
of the particles with mass m1, m2 ; U is the potential energy of the interaction of two
particle depending on the distance between them) can be reduced to the one-body
problem with reduced mass m  m1m2 /  m1  m2  .

b)Write the one-body Lagrangian in polar coordinate r ,  and show that the generalized
p 2̇
momentum  (or the angular momentum M) is conserved, p  M  mr   const .

c) Show the equation of trajectory has the formal solution

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Mdr / r 2
  const ; U eff  r   U  r   M 2 / 2mr 2
2m  E  U eff  r  

d) If U  r    / r ,   0 (attractive Coulomb potential): i) sketch dependence of the

effective potential U eff  r  on the distance r; ii) Find the minimum value of the effective
min
potential, which can be considered as the bonding energy U eff  Ebond

6. Rutherford’s formula

Consider scattering of the charged particle in a Coulomb field with potential

U  r    / r ,  is a constant (see figure). The particle has velocity v at infinity and and
 is the impact parameter, which object following relations

2  / mv2 
2  2 4
tan 2 0 ; cos 0 
 
m v 2
1   / mv2 
.
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    20 is scattering angle. The effective differential scattering cross section is

d  2 d     d
d  d
defined by impact parameter or by scattering angle sin  d  (
d  is the solid angle).

Using given formulas to show the Rutherford’s formula for the effective differential
scattering cross section


 
2
 / 2mv2
d  d ,
sin 4   / 2  which is independent of the sign of .

7. To obtain the expression of the moment inertia and the kinetic energy of a rigid
va rV   a (V is the
body, knowing the velocity of its a-particle in an inertial frame Ω
center of mass velocity, Ω is the angular velocity ra is a position vector of the a-particle
in the center of mass frame).

8. Starting from the total differential of the Lagragian as a function of co-ordinates

L L
dL  
dqi   dq̇ i
and velocities: i
qi i
q̇ i , to obtain the expression for the Hamilton’s
function (or Hamiltonian) and the Hamilton’s equations.

9. Let H  p, q, t  be Hamiltonian of a system and f  p, q, t  , g  p, q, t  are two other

functions of coordinates, momenta and time, write down: i) the Poisson brackets of : - the
quantities H and f; - the quantities f and g; ii) the properties of the Poisson brackets.

10. What is phase space of the system having s-degrees of freedom? Prove Liouville’s
theorem: the volume in phase space containing phase paths of the system is invariant

under canonical transformations  d   const or

 ... dq1...dqs dp1...dps   ... dQ1...dQs dP1...dPs .