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Rectangular coordinates are the most straightforward coordinates, but not necessarily the easiest.
"It would be very desirable and convenient to have a general method for setting up equations of
motion directly in terms of any convenient set of generalized coordinates. Furthermore, it is
desirable to have uniform methods of writing down, and perhaps solving, the equations of motion
in terms of any coordinate system."
1. The number of generalized coordinates must equal the number of rectangular coordinates.
[This is not always three. If we have two objects we are following, each has three coordinates so
the total number of coordinates is six!]
2. Constraints are conditions which restrict the possible set of values of the coordinates.
[Example: in 2-D circular motion, the radius is constrained (by something) to be constant, with
only the angle, , being allowed to vary.]
----------Examples:
Polar coordinates are an example of a 2-D system of coordinates that are not rectangular:
r = r(x,y) = (x+y)
q1 = q1(x,y)
where x = dx/dt.
-------------
i(x1/dqi)qi + x1/t
where the
-------------EXAMPLE:
For the case of one particle, use the above to show what the kinetic energy looks like in the
rotating polar coordinates. In particular,
a) find A11, A12, A21 and A22; show that this system is orthogonal (A12 = A21 = 0);
b) find B1 and B2;
c) find To;
d) write down the final Kinetic Energy; identify each term in the expression.
For rotating polar coordinates (2-D):
q1 = r = r(x,y,t) = (x+y)
and
x = x(r,,t) = r cos(+t)
y = y(r,,t) = r sin(+t)
Kinetic Energy:
T = i{mi(x + y + z)} = kl{Akqkq} + kBkqk + To
where
Ak = i{mi[(xi/qk)(xi/q) + (yi/qk)(yi/q) + (zi/qk)(zi/q)]}
Bk = i{mi[(xi/qk)(xi/t) + (yi/qk)(yi/t) + (zi/qk)(zi/t)]}
To = i{mi[(xi/t) + (yi/t) + (zi/t)]} .
We have only 1 particle, so there is no need to take the sum over i, and all the mis will just be m,
all of the xis will be x, and all of the yis will be y.
We only have 2-D, so there are no z terms.
For rotating polar coordinates,
(x/q1) = (x/r) = ([r cos(+t)]/r) = cos(+t)
(x/q2) = (x/) = ([r cos(+t)]/) = -r sin(+t)
(x/t)
a) Therefore, we have:
A11 = m[(x/q1)(x/q1) + (y/q1)(y/q1) = m[cos2(+t) + sin2(+t)] = m.
A12 = m[(x/q1)(x/q2) + (y/q1)(y/q2)] = A21
= m[{cos(+t)}*{-r sin(+t)} + {sin(+t)}*{ r cos(+t)}] = 0.
A22 = m[(x/q2)(x/q2) + (y/q2)(y/q2) = m[r2sin2(+t) + r2cos2(+t)] = mr2.
b)
B1 = m[(x/q1)(x/t) + (y/q1)(y/t)]
= m[{cos(+t)}*{ -r sin(+t)} + { sin(+t)}*{ r cos(+t )} ] = 0.
B2 = m[(x/q2)(x/t) + (y/q2)(y/t)]
= m[ {-r sin(+t)}*{ -r sin(+t)} + { r cos(+t)}*{ r cos(+t)}]
= mr2 .
c)
d)