diff --git a/1/14-motion-in-a-central-field.md b/1/14-motion-in-a-central-field.md index 3b76699..5dfe0bc 100644 --- a/1/14-motion-in-a-central-field.md +++ b/1/14-motion-in-a-central-field.md @@ -2,32 +2,22 @@ title: 14. Motion in a central field --- -On reducing the two-body problem to one of the motion of a single body, -we arrive at the problem of determining the motion of a single particle in an -external field such that its potential energy depends only on the distance r -from some fixed point. This is called a central field. The force acting on the -particle is F = du(r)/dr = - (dU/dr)r/r; its magnitude is likewise a func- -tion of r only, and its direction is everywhere that of the radius vector. -As has already been shown in ยง9, the angular momentum of any system -relative to the centre of such a field is conserved. The angular momentum of a -single particle is M = rxp. Since M is perpendicular to r, the constancy of -M shows that, throughout the motion, the radius vector of the particle lies -in the plane perpendicular to M. -Thus the path of a particle in a central field lies in one plane. Using polar -co-ordinates r, in that plane, we can write the Lagrangian as -(14.1) -see (4.5). This function does not involve the co-ordinate explicitly. Any -generalised co-ordinate qi which does not appear explicitly in the Lagrangian -is said to be cyclic. For such a co-ordinate we have, by Lagrange's equation, -(d/dt) aL/dqi = aL/dqi = 0, so that the corresponding generalised momen- -tum Pi = aL/dqi is an integral of the motion. This leads to a considerable -simplification of the problem of integrating the equations of motion when -there are cyclic co-ordinates. -In the present case, the generalised momentum is the same as -the angular momentum M z = M (see (9.6)), and we return to the known law -of conservation of angular momentum: -M = mr2o = constant. = -(14.2) -This law has a simple geometrical interpretation in the plane motion of a single -particle in a central field. The expression 1/2 . rdo is the area of the sector -bounded by two neighbouring radius vectors and an element of the path +On reducing the two-body problem to one of the motion of a single body, we arrive at the problem of determining the motion of a single particle in an external field such that its potential energy depends only on the distance r from some fixed point. This is called a central field. The force acting on the particle is $\v{F} = \partial U(r)/\partial \v{r} = - (\dd{U}/\dd{r})\v{r}/r$; its magnitude is likewise a function of $r$ only, and its direction is everywhere that of the radius vector. + +As has already been shown in `1/9`, the angular momentum of any system relative to the centre of such a field is conserved. The angular momentum of a single particle is $\v{M} = \v{r}\times\v{p}$. Since $\v{M}$ is perpendicular to $\v{r}$, the constancy of $\v{M}$ shows that, throughout the motion, the radius vector of the particle lies in the plane perpendicular to $\v{M}$. + +Thus the path of a particle in a central field lies in one plane. Using polar co-ordinates $\v{r}$, in that plane, we can write the Lagrangian as + +```load +1/14.1 +``` + +see `1/4.5`. This function does not involve the co-ordinate $\phi$ explicitly. Any generalised co-ordinate $q_i$ which does not appear explicitly in the Lagrangian is said to be cyclic. For such a co-ordinate we have, by Lagrange's equation, $(\dd{}/\dd{t}) \partial L/\partial \dot{q}_i = \partial L/\partial q_i = 0$, so that the corresponding generalised momentum $p_i = \partial L/\partial \dot{q}_i$ is an integral of the motion. This leads to a considerable simplification of the problem of integrating the equations of motion when there are cyclic co-ordinates. + +In the present case, the generalised momentum $p_\phi=mr^2\dot{\phi}$ is the same as the angular momentum $M_z=M$ (see `1/9.6`), and we return to the known law of conservation of angular momentum: + +```load +1/14.2 +``` + +This law has a simple geometrical interpretation in the plane motion of a single particle in a central field. The expression $\mfrac{1}{2}r\cdot r\dd{\phi}$ is the area of the sector bounded by two neighbouring radius vectors and an element of the path `1/fig8`