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section: The Equations of Motion
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Find the Lagrangian for each of the following systems when placed in a uniform gravitational field (acceleration g).
TODO figures
§5
The Lagrangian for a system of particles
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PROBLEM 1. A coplanar double pendulum (Fig. 1).
'!!!!!!!
pl4
m,
2
L2
M2
FIG. 1
SOLUTION. We take as co-ordinates the angles 01 and O2 which the strings l1 and l2 make
with the vertical. Then we have, for the particle M1, T1 = U = -migh cos 01. In
order to find the kinetic energy of the second particle, we express its Cartesian co-ordinates
x2, y2 (with the origin at the point of support and the y-axis vertically downwards) in terms
of the angles 01 and O2: X2 = l1 sin 01 sin O2, y2 = l1 cos 1+12 cos O2. Then we find
T2 = tm2(x22++22)
=
Finally
L = +m2) m2/1/20102 cos(01-02)+(m1+m2)gl cos 01 + m2gl2 cos O2.
PROBLEM 2. A simple pendulum of mass M2, with a mass M1 at the point of support which
can move on a horizontal line lying in the plane in which m2 moves (Fig. 2).
x
m,
l
M2
FIG. 2
SOLUTION. Using the co-ordinate x of M1 and the angle between the string and the
vertical, we have
L = cos b) +m2gl cos p.
PROBLEM 3. A simple pendulum of mass m whose point of support (a) moves uniformly
on a vertical circle with constant frequency y (Fig. 3), (b) oscillates horizontally in the plane
of motion of the pendulum according to the law x = a cos yt, (c) oscillates vertically accord-
ing to the law y = a cos yt.
SOLUTION. (a) The co-ordinates of m are x = a cos rt+l sin , y = -a sin rt+l cos o.
The Lagrangian is
L = sin(-t) +mgl cos ;
here terms depending only on time have been omitted, together with the total time derivative
of mlay cos(-t).
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The Equations of Motion
§5
(b) The co-ordinates of m are x = a cos yt+l sin , y = l cos p. The Lagrangian is (omit-
ting total derivatives)
L = st sin +mgl cos .
(c) Similarly
L = cos st cos +mgl cos .
ly
m
FIG. 3
PROBLEM 4. The system shown in Fig. 4. The particle M2 moves on a vertical axis and the
whole system rotates about this axis with a constant angular velocity S2.
A
a
m
m,
a
m2
FIG. 4
SOLUTION. Let 0 be the angle between one of the segments a and the vertical, and $ the
angle of rotation of the system about the axis; ; b = S. For each particle M1, the infinitesimal
displacement is given by dl-2 = a2 sin² 0 do2. The distance of M2 from the point
of support A is 2a cos 0, and so dl2 = -2a sin 0 d0. The Lagrangian is
L = m1a2(j2 + Q2 sin20) +2m2a202 sin20+2(m1 +m2)ga cos 0.