Mechanics Set 8

1. A heavy particle is placed at the top of a vertical hoop. Calculate the reaction of
the hoop on the particle by means of the Lagrange's undetermined multipliers and
Lagrange's equations. Find the height at which the particle falls off. (GPS 2-13)
2.

A uniform hoop of mass m and radius r rolls without slipping

on a fixed cylinder of radius R as shown in the figure. The only
external force is that of gravity. If the smaller cylinder starts
rolling from rest on top of the bigger cylinder, use the method
of Lagrangc mulipliers to find the point at which the hoop falls
off the cylinder. (GPS 2-14)

3. A particle of mass in slides without friction on a

wedge of angle and mass M that can move without
friction on a smooth horizontal surface, as shown in
the figure. Treating the constraint of the particle on
the wedge by the method of Lagrange multipliers,
find the equations of motion for the particle and
wedge. Also obtain an expression for the forces of constraint. Calculate the work done
in time t by the forces of constraint acting on the particle and on the wedge. What are the
constants of motion for the system? (GPS 2-20)
4. Consider two particles of masses m1 and m2. Let m1 be confined to move on a circle
of radius a in the z = 0 plane, centered at x = y = 0. Let m2 be confined to move
on a circle of radius b in the z = c plane, centered at x = y = 0. A light (massless)
spring of spring constant k is attached between the two particles.
(a) Find the Lagrangian for the system.
(b) Solve the problem using Lagrange multipliers and give a physical interpretation
for each multiplier. (GPS 2-23)
5. A disk of radius R rolls without slipping inside the stationary parabola y = ax2. Find
the equations of constraint. What condition allows the disk to roll so that it touches
the parabola at one and only one point independent of its position? (GPS 2-25)
6. A particle of mass m is suspended by a massless spring of length L. It hangs, without
initial motion, in a gravitational field of strength g. It is struck by an impulsive horizontal
blow, which introduces an angular velocity . If is sufficiently small, it is obvious that
the mass moves as a simple pendulum. If is sufficiently large, the mass will rotate
about the support. Use a Lagrange multiplier to determine the conditions under which
the string becomes slack at some point in the motion. (GPS 2-26)
7. Obtain the Lagrange equations of motion for a spherical pendulum, i.e., a mass point
suspended by a rigid weightless rod.(GPS 1-19)
8. A spring of rest length Lo (no tension) is connected to a support at one end and has
a mass M attached at the other. Neglect the mass of the spring, the dimension of the
mass M, and assume that the motion is confined to a vertical plane. Also, assume that
the spring only stretches without bending but it can swing in the plane.
(a) Using the angular displacement of the mass from the vertical and the length that
the string has stretched from its rest length (hanging with the mass M), find Lagrange's
equations.
(b) Solve these equations for small stretching and angular displacements. (GPS 1-24)