Problem# 2.1 : Showthattheshortestdistancebetweentwopointsinthree-dimensional space, e.g. (Xl, Y1, Zl) and (X2, Y2, Z2), is a straightline. Problem # 2.2 : Consider light passing from one medium with index ofrefraction n1 into another medium with index ofrefraction n2 (see figure). Use Fermat's principle to minimize the travel time, and derive the law of refraction: n1sin((h) = n2sin((h). The refraction index is defined as n = c/v, where c is the speed oflight in vacuum and v the speed in the medium. How does this result differ from Snell's law'? nl -----\-----(n2> nl) Problem# 2.3 : Considertheaveragevalue ofthesquareofthegradientof(X1, X2, X3) over a given volume V ofspace. Show that the condition that minimizes the average is thatthefunction (X1' X2, X3) obeys theLaplace equation. Problem# 2.4 : (a) Findthecurvey(x) thatpassesthroughtheendpoints (0.0) and (1,1) andminimizes thefunctional I[y] = /,1 [(dy/dx)2 _ y2]dx .0 ---1 -l r '" ,J, ~ ~ ..... . ~ (b) What is the minimum value of the integral? (c) Evaluate f[y] for a straight line y = x between the points (0,0) and (1,1).
(Reidel Texts in The Mathematical Sciences 2) Harry A. Mavromatis (Auth.) - Exercises in Quantum Mechanics - A Collection of Illustrative Problems and Their Solutions-Springer Netherlands (1987) PDF