Physics Cup 2021 – Problem 3

Timothy Ho
Singapore

Problem
Find all non-trivial natural oscillation frequencies for a regular octagon made from eight
homogeneous bars of mass 𝑚 and length 𝑙. While the bars are rigid, the connectors connecting two
neighboring bars are such that the angle 𝜑 between the bars can be changed without any friction, but a
3
returning torque 𝜏 = 𝑘 (𝜑 − 4 𝜋) will appear at the joint as soon as the angle departs from its
3
equilibrium value 𝜋. Indicate how many linearly independent oscillation modes correspond to each
4
of these frequencies. Consider only planar oscillation modes, i.e. modes by which the bars move only
in the plane of the octagon.

Solution

Continuing from Hint 3, we need to find two more vectors ⃗Φ

⃗⃗ 4 and ⃗Φ
⃗⃗ 5 that are orthogonal to ⃗Φ
⃗⃗ 0 , ⃗Φ
⃗⃗ 1 ,
𝑖𝜋 7𝜋
⃗⃗⃗ 3 , and also satisfy the constraint equation 𝜑1 + 𝑒 4 𝜑2 + ⋯ + 𝑒 𝑖 4 𝜑8 = 0.
⃗⃗⃗ 2 and Φ
Φ

This is satisfied by the vectors

⃗⃗⃗ 4 = (1, −√2, 1,0, −1, √2, −1,0)
Φ
⃗⃗⃗ 5 = (−√2, 1,0, −1, √2, −1,0,1)
Φ
Other rotations of the two vectors can be expressed as linear combinations of the two.
which can be easily checked to be orthogonal to Φ ⃗⃗⃗ 0 = (1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1), Φ
⃗⃗⃗ 1 = (1,0, −1,0,1,0, −1,0),
⃗⃗⃗ 2 = (0, −1,0,1,0, −1,0,1).
Φ

Now we calculate the angular frequencies associated with each of the vectors.

⃗⃗⃗ 1 and Φ
For the cases of Φ ⃗⃗⃗ 2 :

Suppose that the diagonal rods are angled 45∘ + 𝜃 to the horizontal. These rods undergo rotational
motion and translational motion, while the vertical and the horizontal rods only undergo translational
motion.

First, we calculate the coordinates of the midpoints of the rods.

 𝐿 𝐿 𝜋
The midpoint of the top horizontal rod has coordinates ( , + 𝐿 sin ( + 𝜃)).
2 2 4
𝐿 𝜋
The midpoint of the right vertical rod has coordinates (2 + 𝐿 cos ( 4 + 𝜃) , 0).
𝐿 𝐿 𝜋 𝐿 𝐿 𝜋
The midpoint of the right diagonal rod has coordinates (2 + 2 cos ( 4 + 𝜃) , 2 + 2 sin ( 4 + 𝜃)).
We differentiate the three coordinates and find the speeds of the rods, ending up with
𝜋 𝐿
𝐿 cos ( + 𝜃) 𝜃̇ ≈ 𝜃̇ (horizontal)
4 √2
𝜋 𝐿
𝐿 sin ( + 𝜃) 𝜃̇ ≈ 𝜃̇ (vertical)
4 √2
𝐿
𝜃̇ (diagonal)
2
Finding the total kinetic energy of the rods, we have for the diagonal rods,
2
1 𝐿𝜃̇ 1 1 2
4 ⋅ ( 𝑚 ( ) + ⋅ 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 ) = 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2
2 2 2 12 3
For the horizontal and vertical rods,
1 𝐿 2
4 ⋅ 𝑚 ( ) 𝜃̇ 2 = 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2
2 √2
Hence,
5
𝐾𝐸𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2
3
1 2
The potential energy at each of the hinges is 2 𝑘𝜃 as the hinge is rotated 𝜃 from equilibrium. The
total potential energy is thus 4𝑘𝜃 2.

Writing the conservation of energy equation,

5
𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 + 4𝑘𝜃 2 = const
3
This means that the angular frequency is
4𝑘 𝟏𝟐𝒌
𝜔=√ =√
5 2 𝟓𝒎𝑳𝟐
𝑚𝐿
3
For the case Φ3 , we consider the two rods in this configuration:

The points 𝐴 and 𝐵 slide along the axes such that 𝐴𝐵 is always 45∘ from the horizontal, and 𝐶 is a
point on the perpendicular bisector of 𝐴𝐵.
3𝜋
Suppose that line 𝐵𝐶 makes an angle 8
− 𝜃 from the 𝑦-axis. Then the diagonal 𝐴𝐵 has length
𝜋 𝜋
2𝐿 cos ( 8 − 𝜃) and the distance from the origin to 𝐵 is √2𝐿 cos ( 8 − 𝜃).
The midpoint of rod 𝐵𝐶 is thus
𝐿 3𝜋 𝜋 𝐿 3𝜋
( sin ( − 𝜃) , √2𝐿 cos ( − 𝜃) − cos ( − 𝜃))
2 8 8 2 8
Differentiating with respect to time, we get
𝐿 3𝜋 𝜋 𝐿 3𝜋
(− cos ( − 𝜃) 𝜃̇ , √2𝐿 sin ( − 𝜃) − sin ( − 𝜃)) 𝜃̇
2 8 8 2 8
The square of the speed of the midpoint is thus
2 2
𝐿 3𝜋 𝜋 𝐿 3𝜋
(( cos ( − 𝜃)) + (√2𝐿 sin ( − 𝜃) − sin ( − 𝜃)) ) 𝜃̇ 2
2 8 8 2 8
2
𝐿 𝜋 𝜋 3𝜋
= ( + 2𝐿2 sin2 ( − 𝜃) − √2𝐿2 sin ( − 𝜃) sin ( − 𝜃)) 𝜃̇ 2
4 8 8 8
The kinetic energy of one rod is thus
1 1 1 1 1 𝜋 √2 𝜋 3𝜋
⋅ 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 + ⋅ 𝑚𝑣𝑚𝑖𝑑 2
≈ ( + + sin2 − sin sin ) 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2
2 12 2 24 8 8 2 8 8
5 1
=( − ) 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2
12 2√2
5 1
The total kinetic energy is 8 ⋅ (12 − 2 2) 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2.
√
𝑘(2𝜃)2
The total potential energy is 8 ⋅ .
2
Writing the conservation equation,
5 1
( − ) 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 + 2𝑘𝜃 2 = const
12 2√2
2𝑘 𝟐𝟒𝒌
𝜔= =√
√ 5 1 (𝟓 − 𝟑√𝟐)𝒎𝑳𝟐
( − ) 𝑚𝐿2
12 2√2
Lastly, we look at the case Φ4 .

𝜋
Suppose 𝐴𝐵 is angled 4 + 𝜃 from the horizontal. First, we claim that 𝐴𝐷 is always horizontal. To see
why, note that
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐷 = ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐵 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐵𝐶 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐶𝐷
𝜋 𝜋
= (𝐿 cos ( + 𝜃) , 𝐿 sin ( + 𝜃)) + (𝐿 cos(√2𝜃) , −𝐿 sin(√2𝜃))
4 4
𝜋 𝜋
+ (𝐿 cos ( − 𝜃) , −𝐿 sin ( − 𝜃))
4 4
The 𝑦-component is equal to
 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
𝐿 (sin ( + 𝜃) − sin(√2𝜃) − sin ( − 𝜃)) = 𝐿 (2 cos sin 𝜃 − sin(√2𝜃)) = 𝐿 ⋅ 𝑂(𝜃 2 ) ≈ 0
4 4 4
So we can assume that the vertical rods only move left and right.
𝜋
The 𝑥-component can be approximated to be 2𝐿 cos 4 + 𝐿 + 𝐿 ⋅ 𝑂(𝜃 2 ) which can be taken as a
constant. Thus the distance between the vertical rods also does not change.

Now we go into the reference frame of the vertical rods and find the velocities of the three other rods
on top. Suppose that 𝐴 has coordinates (0,0).

The midpoint of the rod 𝐴𝐵 has coordinates

𝐿 𝜋 𝐿 𝜋
( cos( + 𝜃), sin ( + 𝜃))
2 4 2 4
It has velocity
𝐿 𝜋 𝐿 𝜋 𝐿 𝐿
(− sin ( + 𝜃) , cos ( + 𝜃)) 𝜃̇ ≈ (− , ) 𝜃̇
2 4 2 4 2√2 2√2
The midpoint of the rod 𝐵𝐶 has coordinates
𝜋 𝐿 𝜋 𝐿
(𝐿 cos ( + 𝜃) + cos(√2𝜃) , 𝐿 sin ( + 𝜃) − sin(√2𝜃))
4 2 4 2
It has velocity
𝜋 𝐿 𝜋 𝐿 𝐿
(−𝐿 sin ( + 𝜃) − sin(√2𝜃) , 𝐿 cos ( + 𝜃) − cos(√2𝜃)) 𝜃̇ ≈ (− , 0) 𝜃̇
4 √2 4 √2 √2
The midpoint of the rod 𝐶𝐷 has coordinates
𝜋 𝐿 𝜋 𝜋 𝐿 𝜋
(𝐿 cos ( + 𝜃) + 𝐿 cos(√2𝜃) + cos ( − 𝜃) , 𝐿 sin ( + 𝜃) − 𝐿 sin(√2𝜃) − sin ( − 𝜃))
4 2 4 4 2 4
It has velocity
𝜋 𝐿 𝜋 𝜋
(−𝐿 sin ( + 𝜃) − √2𝐿 sin(√2𝜃) + sin ( − 𝜃) , 𝐿 cos ( + 𝜃) − √2𝐿 cos(√2𝜃)
4 2 4 4
𝐿 𝜋 𝐿 𝐿
+ cos ( − 𝜃)) 𝜃̇ ≈ (− ,− ) 𝜃̇
2 4 2√2 2√2
Now suppose that the rods 𝐴𝐻 and 𝐷𝐸 move right with velocity 𝑣 in the lab frame.

Using the fact that the CM does not move,

𝐿𝜃̇ 𝐿𝜃̇ 𝐿𝜃̇
(− + 𝑣) + (− + 𝑣) + (− + 𝑣) + 𝑣 = 0
2√2 √2 2√2
Hence,
1
𝑣= 𝐿𝜃̇
2√2
Meaning that the midpoints of rods 𝐴𝐵 and 𝐶𝐷 do not move horizontally, and rod 𝐵𝐶 moves to the
1
left at a speed 2 2 𝐿𝜃̇.
√

Now we compute the kinetic energies.

1 𝐿 2 1 1 5
For the rods 𝐴𝐵 and 𝐶𝐷, their kinetic energy is 2 ⋅ 𝑚 (2 𝜃̇ ) + 2 ⋅ 12 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 = 48 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 (vertical +
√2
rotation).
1 1 2 1 1 7 2
For the rod 𝐵𝐶, its kinetic energy is 2 ⋅ 𝑚 (2 2 𝐿𝜃̇ ) + 2 ⋅ 12 𝑚𝐿2 (√2𝜃̇) = 48 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 (horizontal +
√
rotation).
1 1 2 1
For the vertical rods, their kinetic energy is ⋅ 𝑚 ( 𝐿𝜃̇ ) = 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 (horizontal).
2 2√2 16

5 1 7 5
This means that the total kinetic energy is (4 ⋅ 48 + 2 ⋅ 16 + 2 ⋅ 48) 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 = 6 𝑚𝐿2 𝜃̇ 2 .
 1
The potential energy at the pivots at the vertical rods is 2 𝑘𝜃 2 , while the potential energy at the pivots
1 2
at the horizontal rods is 2 𝑘 ((√2 + 1)𝜃) .
The total potential energy is
2
2𝑘𝜃 2 + 2𝑘(√2 + 1) 𝜃 2 = 4(2 + √2)𝑘𝜃 2
This means that
5 2 2
𝑚𝐿 𝜃̇ + 4(2 + √2)𝑘𝜃 2 = const
6
𝟐𝟒(𝟐 + √𝟐)𝒌
𝜔=√
𝟓𝒎𝑳𝟐