Indian Institute of Technology, Tirupati

Department of Physics
PH104L: Introduction to Classical Mechanics
Instructor: Dr. Kapildeb Dolui

Tutorial-8
Question 1: A simple pendulum of length l oscillates under gravity without damping. Show
that for large oscillations (i.e., when sin θ 6= θ), the time period depends on the amplitude and
is greater than the small-angle time period.
Solution: Equation of motion
For a simple pendulum of length l, the exact equation of motion is

mlθ̈ = −mg sin θ, (1)

or
g
θ̈ = − sin θ. (2)
l
This is a nonlinear second-order differential equation.

Multiplying both sides of (2) by θ̇,

g
θ̇θ̈ = − sin θ θ̇. (3)
l

Using θ̇θ̈ = 1 d 2
2 dt (θ̇ ) and integrating,

1 2 g
θ̇ = cos θ + C. (4)
2 l

At the extreme position θ = α, the angular velocity is zero: θ̇ = 0. Hence,

g
C = − cos α. (5)
l

Substituting this value of C into (4),

2g
θ̇2 = (cos θ − cos α) . (6)
l

Taking the square root, r

dθ 2g
√ = dt. (7)
cos θ − cos α l

The time required for the pendulum to swing from −α to +α is half the period Tα /2, so
Z +α
r
dθ 2g Tα
√ = . (8)
−α cos θ − cos α l 2

1
Using the trigonometric identities

θ α
cos θ = 1 − 2 sin2 , cos α = 1 − 2 sin2 ,
2 2
equation (8) becomes
+α
Z r
dθ g
p = Tα . (9)
−α sin2 (α/2) − sin2 (θ/2) l

The left-hand side is an elliptic integral. To evaluate it, define the substitution

θ α
sin = sin sin φ. (10)
2 2

Then,
2 sin(α/2) cos φ
dθ = p dφ. (11)
1 − sin2 (α/2) sin2 φ

When θ = −α, φ = − π2 , and when θ = α, φ = π2 .

Substituting (10) and (11) into (9),

π/2
r Z
g 2 dφ
Tα = p . (12)
l −π/2 1 − sin2 (α/2) sin2 φ

Using the binomial expansion

1 3
(1 − x)−1/2 = 1 + x + x2 + · · · ,
2 8
we obtain r  
g π α 9π α
Tα = 2 π + sin2 + sin4 + · · · . (13)
l 4 2 64 2

Since the small-angle period is s

l
T = 2π ,
g
we finally obtain
 
1 2 α 9 4 α
Tα = T 1 + sin + sin + ··· . (14)
4 2 64 2

This shows that for finite amplitudes the period depends on the amplitude and is greater than
the small-angle period.

2
Question 2: A particle of mass m performs damped oscillations under a resistive force pro-
portional to its velocity, where the equation of motion is mẍ + 2mγ ẋ + mω02 x = 0. Show that
the total mechanical energy E of the system decreases with time.

Solution:
The resistive force is proportional to velocity:

R = −2mγ ẋ (15)

The equation of motion is:

mẍ = −2mγ ẋ − mω02 x (16)

The total mechanical energy is:

1 1
E = mẋ2 + mω02 x2 (17)
2 2
Differentiating with respect to time:

dE
= mẋẍ + mω02 xẋ (18)
dt

Factor out ẋ:

dE
= ẋ mẍ + mω02 x (19)


dt
Substitute from the equation of motion:

mẍ + mω02 x = −2mγ ẋ (20)

Thus:
dE
= ẋ(−2mγ ẋ) (21)
dt

dE
= −2mγ ẋ2 (22)
dt

Since ẋ2 ≥ 0 and γ > 0, we have:

dE
<0 (23)
dt
Hence, the total mechanical energy decreases with time.

Conclusion: The resistive force continuously removes energy from the system, causing the
oscillations to decay.

3
Question 3:
A particle of mass 3 units moves along the x-axis under the influence of a force attracting it
toward the origin, whose magnitude is proportional to the displacement and given by 12x. The
particle is also subjected to a damping force whose magnitude is proportional to its instantaneous
speed and given by 12ẋ.

(a) Identify the type of motion (underdamped, critically damped, or overdamped).

(b) Write down the general solution of the position x(t) of the particle at any time t and
sketch x(t) when the particle is initially at x = 10 with ẋ = 0 and ẋ = 2.

(c) For the case ẋ(0) = 2, find the times at which the energy of the system reduces to 75%,
35%, and 15% of its initial value.

Solution

Equation of Motion

The restoring force is

Fr = −12x,

and the damping force is

Fd = −12ẋ.

Using Newton’s second law,

3ẍ = −12ẋ − 12x. (1)

Dividing throughout by 3,
ẍ + 4ẋ + 4x = 0. (2)

(a) Nature of the Motion

The standard form of the damped harmonic oscillator is

ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω02 x = 0. (3)

Comparing with (2), we identify

2γ = 4 ⇒ γ = 2,

and
ω02 = 4 ⇒ ω0 = 2.

Since
γ = ω0 ,

4
the system is critically damped.

The motion is critically damped.

(b) General Solution

The characteristic equation,

r2 + 4r + 4 = 0 (4)

(r + 2)2 = 0 (5)

⇒ r = −2 (repeated root)

For critical damping, the characteristic equation has a repeated root

r = −2.

Hence, the general solution is

x(t) = (C1 + C2 t)e−2t . (6)

Case 1: x(0) = 10, ẋ(0) = 0

From (6),
x(0) = C1 = 10.

Differentiating, h i
ẋ(t) = C2 − 2(C1 + C2 t) e−2t .

Applying ẋ(0) = 0,
C2 − 2C1 = 0 ⇒ C2 = 20.

Thus,
x(t) = (10 + 20t)e−2t . (7)

Case 2: x(0) = 10, ẋ(0) = 2

Applying ẋ(0) = 2,
C2 − 2C1 = 2.

With C1 = 10,
C2 = 22.

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Hence,
x(t) = (10 + 22t)e−2t . (8)

Sketch of the motion for different initial conditions

10 ẋ(0) = 0
ẋ(0) = 2

9
x(t)

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

t

Time for Energy to Reach Given Fractions

For the case x(0) = 10, ẋ(0) = 2, the energy behaves as

E(t) = P2 (t) e−4t ,

where P2 (t) is a polynomial. The dominant decay is exponential.

Thus, to a very good approximation,

E(t)
≈ e−4t . (9)
E(0)

Let
E(t)
= f,
E(0)
where f = 0.75, 0.35, 0.15.
Then,
1
t = − ln f. (10)
4
Therefore,

t75% = − 14 ln(0.75), t35% = − 14 ln(0.35), t15% = − 14 ln(0.15). (11)

Hence, although the energy contains polynomial prefactors at finite times, the long-time decay
of the energy is governed purely by the exponential damping.

6
Question 4: An electric circuit contains a resistance R, capacitance C, and inductance L,
where R, C, and L are constants and 4L > CR. Find the current when there is zero initial
current and zero initial charge, and when the driving voltage is V (t) = V0 t for t > 0.
Schematic Diagram:

C
L R
+ − + VL − + −
VR
VC
V (t)

Solution:
Using Kirchhoff’s loop rule:
di q
L + Ri + = V0 t (1)
dt C
Since i = q̇:
1
Lq̈ + Rq̇ + q = V0 t (2)
C
Homogeneous Solution:

1
Lr2 + Rr + =0 (3)
C
Given 4L > CR, roots are complex:

R
r=− ± iω
2L

where r
1 R2
ω= − (4)
LC 4L2
Thus:
(5)
R
qh (t) = e− 2L t (A cos ωt + B sin ωt)

Particular Solution:
Try:
qp = at + b (6)

Substitute into equation:

1
Ra + (at + b) = V0 t (7)
C

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Comparing coefficients:
a
= V0 ⇒ a = CV0 (8)
C
b
Ra + = 0 ⇒ b = −RC 2 V0 (9)
C

qp = CV0 t − RC 2 V0 (10)

General Solution:

q(t) = qh + qp (11)

(12)
R
q(t) = e− 2L t (A cos ωt + B sin ωt) + CV0 t − RC 2 V0

Apply Initial Conditions:

Given:
q(0) = 0, i(0) = q̇(0) = 0

From q(0) = 0:
A − RC 2 V0 = 0 ⇒ A = RC 2 V0 (13)

Differentiate:
i(t) = q̇(t) (14)

Applying i(0) = 0, we get:

CV0
B= (15)
ω
Final Expression for Current:

RC 2 V0 CV0
   
CV0
(16)
R
− 2L t
i(t) = e cos ωt + − sin ωt + CV0
ω 2Lω ω

Conclusion:
The current consists of a transient decaying oscillatory term and a steady-state term propor-
tional to time.

8
Question 5 (Bonus Question):
A particle of mass M is suspended from a vertical
√
spring, which has mass M and force constant
k. Show that the oscillation frequency is ω = 2 ω0 where ω0 = k/M is the natural frequency
3
p

when the spring has negligible mass.

Solution:
Let us assume that the spring is uniformly wound and that its unstretched length is L and its
total mass is M . Then, the mass per unit length of the spring is

M
σ= . (1)
L

Consider a small element of the spring of length dy, located at a distance y above the equilibrium
position, as shown in Fig. 1. The mass of this element is

dm = σ dy. (2)

Figure 1: Kinetic energy of the spring and mass m.

Let v denote the velocity of the lowest point of the spring at any instant. The upper end of the
spring is fixed, so its velocity is always zero. Hence, the velocity of the element at position y is
proportional to its distance from the fixed end and is given by

(L − y)
vy = v . (3)
L

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—
Kinetic Energy of a Spring Element
The kinetic energy of the small element is

1 1 v 2 (L − y)2
dT = dm vy2 = σ dy. (4)
2 2 L2

—
Total Kinetic Energy of the Spring and the Mass
The kinetic energy of the attached mass m is

1
Tm = mv 2 . (5)
2

Therefore, the total kinetic energy of the system is

L
1 v2
Z
1
T = mv 2 + σ 2 (L − y)2 dy. (6)
2 2 L 0

Evaluating the integral,

L
L3
Z
(L − y)2 dy = . (7)
0 3

Hence,

1 1 v 2 L3
T = mv 2 + σ · (8)
2 2 L2 3
1 1M 2
= mv 2 + v . (9)
2 2 3

Thus,
 
1 M
T = m+ v2. (10)
2 3

Thus, the system behaves as if it has an effective mass and let’s use m = M as given in the
problem,
M 4M
Meff = M + = . (11)
3 3

Equation of Motion and Frequency

The restoring force of the spring is

F = −ky.

Hence, the equation of motion is

4M
ÿ + ky = 0. (12)
3

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This gives the angular frequency
k 3k
ω2 = = . (13)
Meff 4M

Let r
k
ω0 =
M
be the natural frequency for a massless spring. Therefore,
√
3
ω= ω0 . (14)
2

Conclusion

When the√ mass of the spring is taken into account, the oscillation frequency increases by a
factor of 23 compared to the case of a massless spring.

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