Classical Mechanics

Solution Set 11 Due: 13 November 2013 41. Start with the Lagrangian for a relativistic particle moving in an electromagnetic eld , B = A, E = A L = mc2 2 /c2 + q r A q 1r (1)

a) Obtain the Hamiltonian for this system, making sure to express it as a function of the canonical variables r , p. 2 /c2 + q A. Then / 1 r Solution: The conjugate momentum is p = mr p + mc2 H = r = mc
2

2 /c2 q r A + q = 1r + q

2 mr 1r
2

/c2

+ mc2

2 /c2 + q 1r (2)

2 /c2 1r

in favor of p. We have We still have to eliminate r (p q A)2 = 2 /c2 = So mc/ 1 r 2 m2 r m2 c2 2 2 = 2 2 2 2 m c 1 r /c 1 r /c

m2 c2 + (p q A)2 , and H=c m2 c2 + (p q A)2 + q (3)

b) Show that Hamiltons equations imply the familiar relativistic Newton equation with the Lorentz force on the right side. Solution: We calculate Hamiltons equations: , m2 c2 + (p q A)2 c(pk qAk ) = q + q (Ak ) p = q + q r k (Ak ) m2 c2 + (p q A)2 A dA ( A) + q r B+q q = q + q r k k A = q + q r dt t dA B+q = qE + qr dt d B (p q A) = q E + q r dt 1 (4) = r H = p c(p q A)

 , which of course is The rst Hamilton equation just gives the relation between p and r 2 2 / 1 r /c p0 , the relativistic momentum of the particle. Note just p q A = mr that p0 is not the momentum conjugate to r . It is the quantity that appears on the left of the relativistic Newton equation dp0 B = qE + qr dt 42. G, Problem 8.2. Solution: We add a function dF (q, t) F = + dt t q k
k

(5)

F qk

to the Lagrangian of a generic system and work out the modications to the Hamiltonian formalism: L = L + H =
k

F + t

q k
k

F , qk

pk =

L F = pk + q k qk F t q k
k

q k pk L =
k

q k pk L

F F = H (p F/q, q ) qk t

q k = p k

H H = pk pk H H = = qk qk

+
p

H 2F = qk t qk

+
p l

2 F H 2F + qk ql pl qk t

(6)

On the other hand p k = p k + 2F + qk t q l

l

2F qk ql

(7)

Thus the second primed Hamilton equation reads p k + 2F + qk t q l

l

2F H = qk ql qk

+
p l

2F 2 F H + qk ql pl qk t

(8)

which reduces to the corresponding unprimed Hamilton equation after using the rst primed Hamilton equation, which reduced to the unprimed one q k = H/pk , and cancellation of terms. 43. G, Problem 8.12.

Solution: Let the masses be dierent for the two particles. Then the Lagrangian is m1 2 m2 2 + V (|r 1 r 2 |) r r L = 2 1 2 2 M 2 m 2 V (r) = R + r 2 2 M 2 m 2 m 2 2 m 2 2 2 R + r + r + r sin V (r) (9) = 2 2 2 2 where the second line uses center of mass coordinates R and relative coordinates r , ane M = m1 + m2 is the total mass and m = m1 m2 /(m1 + m2 ) is the reduced mass. The third line uses spherical polar coordinates for the relative coordinates. We construct the Hamiltonian in all three coordinate systems p2 p2 1 + 2 + V (|r 1 r 2 |) 2m1 2m2 P2 p2 = + + V (r) 2M 2m p2 p2 p2 P2 + V (r) (10) + r + 2+ = 2M 2m 2mr 2mr2 sin2 The cyclic coordinates are R, , so their conjugate momenta P , p = mr2 sin2 may be considered constant parameters in the equations of motion. Hamiltons equations for the remaining coordinates r, become H = p2 pr p2 r = , p r = V (r) + + 3 3 m mr mr sin2 2 p = p , p = cot (11) mr2 mr2 The equations for have the solution p = 0 and = /2 =constant. In, fact by taking the angular momentum parallel to the z -axis, all motions can be reduced to this case. Putting these values back into the conserved Hamiltonian we infer that 2 p2 p2 P2 p2 m dr + H E= r + + V ( r ) = + V (r) 2M 2m 2mr2 2 dt 2mr2 dr p , = t = m mr2 2mE 2mV (r ) p2 /r2

44. G, Problem 8.23. Solution: (xy yx ). The a) Choose cooddinates so the particle moves in the xy -plane, so that A = B 2 Lagrangian is m 2 e m 2 eB + r (B r ) V (r) = r + L= r (xy yx ) V (r) 2 2 2 2 px = mx eBy/2), py = my + eBx/2, pz = mz 3

Then the Hamiltonian is H= p2 (px + eBy/2)2 (py eBx/2)2 z + + + V (r) 2m 2m 2m (12)

b) The coordinates of the rotating system are related to the above system by x x xy yx 2 2 x +y x cos t y sin t, y = x sin t + y cos t, z = z (x y ) cos t (y + x ) sin t, y = (x y ) sin t + (y + x ) cos t x (y + x ) y (x y ) (x y )2 + (y + x )2 = x 2 + y 2 + 2 (x2 + y 2 ) + 2 (x y yx ) m 2 eB + 2 (x2 + y 2 ) + 2 (x y L = [r yx )] + x (y + x ) y (x y ) V (r) 2 2 m 2 m 2 m 2 2 (x + y 2 ) V (r) + 2 (x2 + y 2 )] m 2 (x2 + y 2 ) V (r) = r = [r 2 2 2 = = = =

where we put eB = 2m in the last line. In these coordinates the canonical momen and the Hamiltonian is then tum is simply p = mr H = p2 m + V (r ) + 2 (x2 + y 2 ) 2m 2 (13)