Theoretical classical mechanics - Solved example problems

(3EMX0, March 2021)

(1) Three coupled mathematical pendulums

Three identical mathematical pendulums of lengths L and masses m
are coupled by two identical springs with springconstant k and un-
stretched length d. Gravity is acting vertically downwards. The pen-
dulum bobs are confined to swing in the xy-plane (i.e. the plane of the
drawing).
d d

q q! g
L L
L

q m
m
k k
m

(2 pts) (a) How many degrees of freedom does the system have?
(2 pts) (b) Write down the constraint equations in terms of a suitably defined
Cartesian coordinate system.
(2 pts) (c) Determine a stable equilibrium configuration of the system.
(3 pts) (d) Determine the approximate kinetic energy for small oscillations
around the stable equilibrium configuration. Use the angles θ1,2,3
defined in the sketch as generalized coordinates.
(4 pts) (e) Determine the exact and approximate potential energy for small
oscillations around the stable equilibrium configuration.
(1 pts) (f) Determine the (approximate) Lagrangian.
(4 pts) (g) Determine the T and B matrices.
(8 pts) (h) Determine the eigenfrequencies.
(8 pts) (i) Determine the amplitude vectors of the normal modes.

1
Solutions

(1) Three mathematical pendulums

1a) 3.
1b) z1 = z2 = z3 = 0,
x12 + y12 = L2 ,
(x2 − d)2 + y22 = L2 ,
(x3 − 2d)2 + y32 = L2 .
1c) θ1 = θ2 = θ3 = 0 or x1 = x2 − d = x3 − 2d = 0.
1d) The speeds of the pointmasses are given by |⃗vi | = Lθ̇i . This the kinetic
energy is given by T = 21 mL2 (θ̇12 + θ̇22 + θ̇32 ). The approximate equals
the exact kinetic energy.
1e) The potential energy consists of gravitational contributions and con-
tributions from the springs. The potential energy stored in a spring
of length ℓ and unstretched length ℓeq is given by 21 k(ℓ − ℓeq )2 . The
squared length of the first spring can be expressed as
ℓ21 = (x2 − x1 )2 + (y2 − y1 )2
= (d + L sin θ2 − L sin θ1 )2 + L2 (cos θ2 − cos θ1 )2

and analogously for the second spring. Thus,

∑
3
[ ]
Vexact = mgL(1 − cos θi ) + 21 k (ℓ1 − d)2 + (ℓ2 − d)2 .
i=1

In the limit of small amplitudes we need to approximate V by a Taylor

series up to second order. The zeroth and first order terms vanish
because V (θi = 0) = 0 and because (0, 0, 0) is a point of equilibrium.
The second order terms are
1 ∑ ∑ ∂V
3 3
θi θj .
2 i=1 j=1 ∂θi ∂θj (0,0,0)

The gravitational terms each contribute 12 mgLθi2 to the approximate

potential energy. The contribution of the first spring to 21 ∂θ∂V is
[ ] [ ] i ∂θj

equal to 12 k2 ∂θ∂ i 2(ℓ1 − d) ∂θ

∂ℓ1
j ∂θi ∂θj + (ℓ1 − d) ∂θi ∂θj . Noting that
= k2 ∂ℓ 1 ∂ℓ1 ∂ℓ1

∂ℓ1
= ±L and that (ℓ1 − d) = 0 for (θ1 , θ2 , θ3 ) = (0, 0, 0), and
∂θj (0, 0, 0)
accounting for the second spring, we find
[ ]
V (app) = 12 mgL(θ12 + θ22 + θ32 ) + 21 kL2 (θ2 − θ1 )2 + (θ3 − θ2 )2 .
4
1f) L(app) = T (app) − V (app) .
1g)  
1 0 0
T = 12 mL2  0 1 0 
0 0 1
 
mgL + kL2 −kL2 0
B = 12  −kL2 mgL + 2kL2 −kL2 .
0 −kL2 mgL + kL2
1h) The eigenfrequencies follow from det(B − ω 2 T ) = 0, i.e.
 
mg + kL − ω 2 mL −kL 0
0 = det −kL mg + 2kL − ω 2 mL −kL 
0 −kL mg + kL − ω 2 mL
or
0 = (mg + kL − ω 2 mL)2 (mg + 2kL − ω 2 mL) − 2k 2 L2 (mg + kL − ω 2 mL)
g k
1i) One zero of the above polynomial is evidently ω12 = L + m, the others
follow from
(mg + kL − ω 2 mL)(mg + 2kL − ω 2 mL) − 2k 2 L2 = 0
g
This is a biquadratic polynomial in ω 2 with solutions ω22 = L and
ω32 = Lg + 3 mk .
1h) The amplitude vectors w ⃗ (i) can be determined from (B −ωi2 T )· w
⃗ (i) =0.
Let’s start with ω2 . From
  
mg + kL − Lg mL −kL 0 a
0=  −kL mg + 2kL − L mLg
−kL   b
0 −kL mg + kL − Lg mL c
we find   
kL −kL 0 a

0 = −kL 2kL −kL   b
0 −kL kL c
⃗ (2) = ϵ2 (1, 1, 1)t .
or w
⃗ (1) = ϵ1 (1, 0, −1)t and w
Analogously, we find w ⃗ (3) = ϵ3 (1, −2, 1)t .

(2) Rotating parabolic wire