Graduate Classical Mechanics (PHY50101)

Spring Semester 2016, Midterm Exam

3:00pm-5:00pm, April 19

Total 2 pages, 4 problems, 100 points in total.

1. [25 points] Two blocks, each of mass M, are connected by an extensionless, uniform string of
length L. One block is placed on a smooth horizontal surface, and the other block hangs over the
side, the string passing over a frictionless pulley. (a) [10 points] By using the Lagranges equations of
motion, find the acceleration of the system when the mass of the string is negligible. (b) [15 points]
By using the Lagranges equations of motion, find the acceleration of the system when the string has
a mass m.

2. [25 points] A particle of mass m hangs by a string of length L that is attached to the ceiling and
makes a simple pendulum. The motion of the pendulum is confined on one plane, that is, it does not
rotate. By using the method of Lagrange undetermined multipliers, (a) [10 points] find the Lagrangian
and (b) [10 points] the force of constraint, i.e., the tension of the string as a function of angular position,
. (c) [5 points] For a small amplitude, find the period of the oscillation.

Hint: =
=1 =

For (b), use the condition that = 0 at = .

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3. [25 points] A particle of mass m is constrained to move on the surface of a cylinder defined by 2 +
2 = 2 . The particle is subject to a force directed toward the origin and proportional to the distance
of the particle from the origin, = . By using the method of Lagrange undetermined multipliers,
(a) [8 points] find the Lagrangian and (b) [9 points] the force of constraint, i.e., the normal force of the
cylindrical wall. (c) [8 points] Find all conserved physical quantities.

Hint: Use cylindrical coordinates, (, , ).

4. [25 points] (a) [10 points] A particle moves in a circular orbit in a force field given by

() = / 2 .
Show that, if k suddenly decreases to half its original value, the particles orbit becomes parabolic.
(b) [15 points] Two gravitating masses m1 and m2 (m1+m2=M) are separated by a distance r0 and
released from rest. Show that when the separation is r (< r0), the speeds are

2 1 1 2 1 1
1 = 2 ( ) , 2 = 1 ( ).
0 0

2
Hint: = 12 2 + + ()
2 2

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