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Maximizing Area with Lagrange Multipliers

1. The document provides details on four problems involving classical mechanics: 2. The first problem asks to find the dimensions of a fence that will enclose the greatest area of a rectangular field adjacent to a river using Lagrange multipliers. 3. The second problem involves finding the constraint relations and equations of motion for a spring-pulley system using Lagrange multipliers. 4. The third problem involves finding the conserved quantity for a Lagrangian of L = (m/2)(x ̇ 2 + y ̇ 2 + z ̇ 2 ) − mgz. 5. The fourth problem asks to show the invariance of a Lagrangian under rotation transformations and derive the transformation of coordinates under an infinit

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Anuprava Bokshi
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5 views1 page

Maximizing Area with Lagrange Multipliers

1. The document provides details on four problems involving classical mechanics: 2. The first problem asks to find the dimensions of a fence that will enclose the greatest area of a rectangular field adjacent to a river using Lagrange multipliers. 3. The second problem involves finding the constraint relations and equations of motion for a spring-pulley system using Lagrange multipliers. 4. The third problem involves finding the conserved quantity for a Lagrangian of L = (m/2)(x ̇ 2 + y ̇ 2 + z ̇ 2 ) − mgz. 5. The fourth problem asks to show the invariance of a Lagrangian under rotation transformations and derive the transformation of coordinates under an infinit

Uploaded by

Anuprava Bokshi
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Tutorial 4

Classical Mechanics (PHY301): Monsoon 2016


29 August 2016
1.

A rectangular area is to be enclosed by a sisteen meter fence where one side of the rectangle
does not need fence because it is adjacent to a river. Find the dimensions of the fence that
will enclose the greatest area using the method of undetermined multipliers.

2.

Consider the system shown in the figure below. A string joining two massless pulleys has a
length l that makes an angle with the horizontal. This angle will vary has a function of
the vertical position of the mass. The two pulleys are restricted to a translational motion by
frictionless guiding walls. The restoring force of the spring is kx and the arrangement is
such that when = 0, x = 0, and when = /2, x = l. Find the contraint relations and
equations of motion for the mass using the method of Lagrange undetermined multipliers.

Figure 1:

Spring-Pulley System (Image from websource)

3.

Consider the Lagrangian: L = (m/2)(x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ) mgz. Find the conserved quantity


associated with the system.

4.

A particle of mass m is constrained to move in the xy-plane under the action of a spherically
symmetric potential. That is, the Lagrangian of the system is given by:
q
1
L = m(x 2 + y 2 ) U (r) (r = x2 + y 2 ).
2

(a) Under s rotation by an angle along the z-axis, the coordinates of the particle transform as:
x
y

x0
y0

cos sin
sin cos

x
y

Show that the above lagrangian is invariant under this transformation.


(b) Show that under an infinitesimal rotation (i.e., to first order in ) the coordinates of the
particle transform in the following way:
xi x0i xi = 3ij xj ,
where ijk is the totally antisymmetric Levi-Civita symbol.

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