The reason why adding a total derivative to the Lagrangian doesn't change the equations

of motion is due to two main factors:

1. Integration by parts: When we take the variation of the action, which is the integral of
the Lagrangian over time, any total derivative term can be integrated by parts. This results
in a boundary term that vanishes if the variations are zero at the boundaries of integration
(which is typically assumed).

2. Euler-Lagrange equation: The equations of motion are derived from the Lagrangian
using the Euler-Lagrange equation. This equation is speci cally designed to be insensitive
to total derivative terms. When we vary the action with respect to the generalized
coordinates, the total derivative terms contribute terms that cancel out, leaving only the
terms that actually contribute to the equations of motion.

Here's a breakdown of the explanation:

Total Derivative: A total derivative is a function whose derivative is zero. In the context of
Lagrangian mechanics, it's typically expressed as the total derivative of a function with
respect to time:

d/dt(F(q, q̇, t))

where F is any function of the generalized coordinates (q), their velocities (q̇ ), and time (t).

Integrating by parts: When we take the variation of the action:

S = ∫ L(q, q̇, t) dt
where L is the Lagrangian, the total derivative term contributes a boundary term:

∫ d/dt(F(q, q̇, t)) dt = F(q_f, q̇_f, t_f) - F(q_i, q̇_i, t_i)

where q_i and q_f denote the initial and nal values of the coordinates, respectively. As
mentioned earlier, this boundary term vanishes if the variations are zero at the boundaries.

Euler-Lagrange equation: The Euler-Lagrange equation is:

d/dt(∂L/∂q̇) - ∂L/∂q = 0
This equation states that the derivative of the momentum (∂L/∂q̇ ) with respect to time
must be equal to the partial derivative of the Lagrangian with respect to the generalized
coordinate (∂L/∂q). When we vary the action and substitute the total derivative term, the
terms arising from the total derivative cancel out, leaving only the terms that contribute to
the equations of motion.
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 Therefore, adding a total derivative to the Lagrangian doesn't change the equations of
motion because:

• Integration by parts: The total derivative term integrates to a boundary term that
vanishes under typical boundary conditions.

• Euler-Lagrange equation: The equation of motion is insensitive to total derivative

terms due to cancellation upon variation.

This property allows us to add or remove total derivative terms from the Lagrangian
without a ecting the physical dynamics of the system. It's important to note that this only
applies to total derivatives with respect to time; total derivatives with respect to other
variables can have a signi cant impact on the equations of motion.
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