Mechanics Problems 2023

1. Problem 1*
A double pendulum consists of two simple pendulums, with one pendulum suspended from the bob

Figure 1:

of the other. The upper pendulum has mass m1 and length l1 , the lower pendulum has mass m2 and
length l2 , and both pendulum moves in the same vertical plane (Figure 1).
(a) Find the Lagrangian, using the angle θ1 and θ2 the pendulum make with the vertical as generalized
coordinates.
(b) Write down Lagrange’s equations of motion.
* Solution:
1 2 1 2
L= (m1 + m2 )l21 ϕ˙1 + m2 l22 ϕ˙2 + m2 l1 l2 ϕ˙1 ϕ˙2 cos(ϕ1 − ϕ2 ) + (m1 + m2 )gl1 cosϕ1 + m2 gl2 cosϕ2 (1)
2 2

2. Problem 2*

Figure 2:

The bead of mass m slides without friction along a wire which has the shape of a parabola y = Ax2
with axis vertical in the earth’s gravitational field g. (Figure 2)
(a) Find the Lagrangian, taking as generalized coordinate the horizontal displacement x.
(b) Write down Lagrange’s equation of motion.
*Solution:
a) Lagrangian is :
1
L= m(1 + 4A2 x2 )ẋ2 − Amgx2 (2)
2
b) Lagrange’equation:
(1 + 4A2 x2 )ẍ + 4A2 xẋ2 + 2Amgx = 0 (3)

3. Problem 3

The point of support of a simple plane pendulum moves vertically according to y=h(t) where h(t)
is some given function of time (Figure 3).
 (a) Find the Lagrangian, taking as generalized coordinate the angle θ the pendulum makes with
vertical line.
(b) Write down a Lagrange’s equation of motion, showing in particular that the pendulum behaves
like a simple pendulum in a gravitational field g + ḧ.
*Solution:
a) Lagrangian is:
1
L= m(l2 θ̇2 + 2lḣθ̇sinθ + ḣ2 ) − mg(h − lcosθ) (4)
2
b) Lagrange’s equation
l2 θ̈ + l(g + ḧ)sinθ = 0 (5)

4. Problem 4*

A particle of mass m slides on the inner surface of cone of half angle α. The axis of the cone is
vertical with vertex downward. Gravity g acts vertically downwards (Figure 4).
(a) Choose and show on a diagram suitable generalized coordinates and find the Lagrangian.
(b) Write down the explicit equations of motion for your generalized coordinates.
*Solution: a) Lagrangian is

m 2
L= (ṙ + ϕ̇2 sin2 αr2 ) − mgrcosα (6)
2
5. Problem 5*
A bead of mass m slides on a long straight wire which mages an angle α with, and rotates with
constant angular velocity ω about, the upward vertical. (Figure 5)
(a) Choose and show on a diagram a suitable generalized coordinate and find the Lagrangian.
(b) Write down the explicit equation of motion for your generalized coordinate.
*Solution:
6. Problem 6
Consider a simple pendulum having a mass m suspended by a string of length l in a gravitational
field. At t=0, this pendulum make an angle θ0 with the vertical line. Using the conservation law of
energy, determine the period of oscillations of the pendulum as a function of the amplitude θ0 of the
oscillations.
*Solution: p.26 Landau s
l 1
T = 2π (1 + ϕ20 ) (7)
g 16

7. Problem 7*
Determine the period of oscillations, as a function of the energy E, when a particle of mass m moves
in fields for which the potential energy is
(a) U = A|x|n
(b) U = −U0 /cosh2 (αx), where −U0 < E < 0.
(c) U = U0 tan2 (αx), where U0 > 0.
*Solution: p.27 Landau
8. Problem 8*
A particle is free to move on a surface of a torus given by

x(θ, ϕ) = (a + bcosϕ)cosθ,
y(θ, ϕ) = (a + bcosϕ)sinθ,
z(θ, ϕ) = bsinϕ.

(a) Find a suitable Lagrangian for this problem.

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Figure 3:

Figure 4:

Figure 5:

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 (b) Find integrals of the motion.
*Solution:
a) Lagrangian for this problem
m
L= [(a + bcosϕ)2 θ̇2 + b2 ϕ̇2 ] (8)
2

b) Integrals of motion: E, pθ where

∂L
pθ = = m(a + bcosϕ)2 θ̇ (9)
∂ θ̇
9. Problem 9*

Figure 6:

A plane pendulum of length l and mass m1 suspended from a mass point m2 that is free to slide
without friction in the horizontal x̂−direction measured from a fixed origin. The gravitational
acceleration g = −gŷ is directed vertically downward and the pendulum as it swings makes an angle
θ with respect to the vertical (see Figure 6).
(a) Construct the Lagrangian for this system, and derive the Lagrange’s equations of motion in terms
of x and θ degrees of freedom.
(b) Find the two first integrals for the motion.
*Solution:
a) Lagrangian is :
m1 + m 2 2 m2 l 2 2
L= ẋ + ϕ̇ + m2 lcosϕẋϕ̇ + m2 glcosϕ (10)
2 2
b) Two integrals of motion: E, px where

∂L
px = = (m1 + m2 )ẋ + m2 lcosϕϕ̇ (11)
∂x
if at t=0, the system is at rest, px = 0, we have

(m1 + m2 )ẋ + m2 lcosϕϕ̇ = 0 (12)

thus, (m1 + m2 )x + m2 lsinϕ = const => center of mass. if we choose center of mass is always at
rest, const = 0, and we get

m2 lsinϕ
x=− (13)
m1 + m 2
Lagrangian of the system can be rewritten by:

m2 l2 ˙2 m22 l2
L= ϕ − cos2 ϕϕ̇2 + m2 glcosϕ (14)
2 2(m1 + m2 )
ϕ2
Apply small oscillation with ϕ ≈ 0, cosϕ ≈ 1 − 2 , we obtain

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 m1 m2 m2 gl 2
L= l2 ϕ˙2 − ϕ (15)
2(m1 + m2 ) 2
s
(m1 + m2 )g
ω= (16)
m1 l
10. Problem 10
The Lagrangian for two particles of masses m1 and m2 and coordinates r1 and r2 , interacting via a
potential V(|r1 − r2 |), is
1 1
L = m1 ṙ21 + m2 ṙ22 − V(|r1 − r2 |) (17)
2 2
m1 r1 +m2 r2
(a) Rewrite the Lagrangian in terms of the center of mass coordinates R = m1 +m2 and relative
coordinates r = r1 − r2 .
(b) Use Lagrange’s equations to show that the center of mass and relative motions separate, the
center of mass moving with constant velocity, and the relative motion being like that of a particle of
reduced mass m = mm11+m
m2
2
in a potential V(r).
11. Problem 11*
A particle under the action of gravity slides on the inside of a smooth paraboloid of revolution
whose axis is vertical. Using the cylindrical coordinate for a paraboloid having z = Ar2 (A is a
positive constant) and taking the distance from the axis, r, and the azimuthal angle ϕ as generalized
coordinates, find
(a) The Lagrangian of the system.
(b) The generalized momenta and the corresponding Hamiltonian.
(c) The equation of motion for the coordinate r as a function of time.
12. Problem 12*
Determine the forced oscillations of a system under a force F(t) of the following forms, if at time
t = 0 the system is at rest in equilibrium (x = ẋ = 0):
(a) F = F0 (F0 is a constant)
(b) F = at (a is a constant)
(c) F = F0 e−αt (F0 and α is a constant)
(d) F = F0 e−αt cos(βt) (F0 and β is a constant)
13. Problem 13
Determine the final amplitude for the oscillations of a system if up to time t = 0 the system is at
rest in equilibrium, under a force which is
(a) (see Figure 7)
( 0 t<0
F0 t
F (t) = T 0<t<T (18)
F0 t>T

Figure 7:

(b) F0 which can acts for a finite time T . (Figure 8)

(c) F0 t/T which acts between t = 0 and t = T. (Figure 9)
(d) F(t) = F0 sin(ωt) which acts between t = 0 and t = T = 2π/ω (Figure 10)

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14. Problem 14
Determine the oscillation frequencies of a system with two degrees of freedom whose Lagrangian is

1 2 1
L= (ẋ + ẏ 2 ) − ω0 2 (x2 + y 2 ) + αxy (19)
2 2
( two identical one-dimensional systems of eigenfrequency ω0 coupled by an interaction −αxy. α is
a constant.)
15. Problem 15*
A particle of mass m moves in a central force field with potential V (r). The Lagragian in terms of
spherical polar coordinates (r, θ, ϕ) is
1
L= m(ṙ2 + r2 θ̇2 + r2 sin2 θ ϕ̇2 ) − V (r). (20)
2
(a) Find the momenta (pr , pθ , pϕ ) conjugate to (r, θ, ϕ)
(b) Find the Hamiltonian H(r, θ, ϕ, pr , pθ , pϕ ).
(c) Write down the explicit Hamilton’s equations of motion.
16. Problem 16*
The Hamiltonian for a simple harmonic oscillator is

p2 1
H= + mω 2 x2 (21)
2m 2
Introduce the complex quantities,
r
mω ip
a= (x + ) (22)
2 mω
r
∗ mω ip
a = (x − ) (23)
2 mω

(a) Express H in terms of a and a∗ .

(b) Evaluate the Poisson brackets [a, a∗ ],[a, H] and [a∗ , H].
(c) Write down and solve the equations of motion for a and a∗ .
17. Problem 17*
The Lagragian for a free particle in terms of paraboloidal coordinates (ξ, η, ϕ ) is
1 1
L= m(ξ 2 + η 2 )(ξ˙2 + η̇ 2 ) + mξ 2 η 2 ϕ̇2 . (24)
2 2
(a) Find the momenta conjugate to (ξ, η, ϕ).
(b) Find the Hamiltonian.
18. Problem 18*
Determine the Poisson brackets, which are [Mx , My ], [My , Mz ], [Mz , Mx ] ) formed from the compo-
nents of angular momentum M = r × p
* Notes:
(1) Some problems are in the textbook, hence, for futher understanding the circumstance of the problems
(for example, symbols, parameters....), you might want to look it up in the textbook.
(2) ”Landau” means ”Mechanics” written by L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz (this book is mainly used
to be a textbook).
(3) Problems with * are important.

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Figure 8:

Figure 9:

Figure 10:

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