MECHANICS II

Homeworkset #2: Calculus ofVariations

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).