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PC235 Winter 2013

Classical Mechanics

Midterm Exam Solutions


#1 (5 points)
The plot below shows the position vs. time for a weakly-damped oscillator.
What is the approximate Q-factor of this oscillator? Explain how
you came up with this value.
1

position [m]

0.5

0.5

1
0

10

12

14

16

18

20

time [s]

Solution
Equation (6.60) of the class notes tells us that with weak damping, Q is
equal to times the ratio of the 1/e decay time to the period. From the
plot, we see that the decay time is approximately 10 seconds while the period is 1.25 seconds (since there are almost exactly 8 cycles in the first 10
seconds). Therefore, Q 25. Your answers may vary a bit depending on
how closely you read the plot.
#2 (5 points)
A mass m is subject to a two-dimensional, anisotropic Hookes-law potential
1
1
U (x, y) = kx x2 + ky y 2 .
2
2
The resulting motion of the mass traces out the path shown in the figure
below.
1

What is the ratio kx /ky ?


BONUS (2 points) Considering that the orbit of a 2D oscillator is a combination of sinusoidal x- and y-motion, its curious that this particular orbit
looks like a parabola. In fact, it is a parabola. Prove this!

5
5

Solution
Recall from the classroom demonstration and p. 172 of the text that the
orbit of the mass can be decomposed into sinusoidal x and yfunctions
of time, with time dependence of cos(x t) and cos(y t) respectively. The
amplitudes and relative phase will contribute to the shape of the orbit, but
are not relevant to this question. Starting at any point along the orbit, trace
the path until you come back to the initial point again. You will see that the
mass completes 1 full period in the x-direction for every 2 full periods that
it completes in the ydirection. Thus, the p
ratio of angular frequencies must
be x /y = 1/2. Then, recalling that = k/m, we have
kx
=
ky

x
y

2

 2
1
1
= .
=
2
4

(1)

For the bonus marks, we now know that x(t) = Ax cos(t) and y(t) =
Ay cos(2t) (we could read Ax and Ay off the graph, but its not relevant...since the orbit terminates in two points rather than taking the form
of a complicated loop, we know that the phase difference between the x and
y motion is either 0 or , and is therefore irrelevant. We dont know x or

y , but we do know their ratio, and this IS important). Thus,





2Ay
2
2
x 2 Ay ,
y = Ay cos(2t) = Ay 2 cos t 1 = 2Ay cos t Ay =
A2x
(2)
which proves that y is parabolic in x.
#3 (5 points)
A 2-kilogram object is subjected to three forces. Measured in Newtons, they
, F2 = 2
+ 5z, F3 =
are: F1 =
xy
xy
x + 2
y + 3z.
(a) What is the acceleration of the mass? (2 points)
(b) Is the net force on the mass conservative? Clearly explain
why or why not. (3 points)
Solution
(a) From Newtons second law, we know that F = ma. The net force on
the mass (measured in Newtons) is F = F1 + F2 + F3 = 0
x + 0
y + 8z.
Since the mass is 2 kilograms, the resulting acceleration is
a=

8 z N
F
=
= 4 z m/s2 .
m
2 kg

(3)

(b) The force is conservative if it passes two tests. First, does it depend only
on position and nothing else? YES (in fact, it doesnt even depend on
position, its a constant). Second, does it satisfy F = 0? YES (we
dont even need to work out the curl explicitly - all of the derivatives
are zero since F is constant). Together, we can claim that the net force
is conservative.
#4 (5 points)
A projectile is traveling horizontally and due north with speed v0 , when all of
a sudden it explodes into two pieces of equal mass. Just after the explosion,
one of the pieces is traveling vertically upward with speed v0 . What is the
velocity of the other piece?
Solution
3

Choose the x-axis pointing due north and y vertically upward, and let v
be the velocity of the second fragment after the explosion. Conservation
of momentum implies that 21 mvx = mv0 and 21 mvy = 12 mv0 . Therefore,
v =
(2v0 , v0 , 0). You can also put this in magnitude-angle terms, with
v = 5v0 , with an angle of tan1 (1/2) = 26.6 below the horizontal from
due north.
#5 (5 points)
By any means possible, find the moment of inertia of a flat, circular disk of
mass M and radius R, which rotates about an axis which is perpendicular
to the disk and which passes through a point on the rim of the disk, as in
the figure below.
Note: you might consider this a trick question, in that it is incredibly simple
to answer - as long as youve been paying attention.

Solution
The moment of inertia of a flat disk of mass M and radius R that rotates
around an axis that is perpendicular to the disk and which passes through
its center of mass is ICM = 12 M R2 (you can prove this, but its not required).
When the axis of rotation is shifted, we apply the parallel axis theorem,
which was provided in the solutions to Assignment 3, problem 10. Shifting
the axis by a distance R from the center of mass produces a new moment of
inertia
3
I = ICM + M R2 = M R2 .
(4)
2

#6 (15 points)
This question concerns a rocket that is launched vertically from the surface
of a planet, where we assume drag to be negligible (this isnt a realistic
assumption, but...youre welcome). The rocket is burning fuel at a rate of
m
kg/s. Since this represents a loss of the rockets total mass, we introduce
the constant k = m,
where k is a positive constant. The initial mass of the
rocket is m0 , and the spent fuel is ejected at a constant speed vex .
(a) Prove that the rockets equation of motion is (3 points)
mv = kvex mg.
(b) Derive a formula for the rockets speed v(t), as a function of
m0 , k, vex , and g. (6 points)
(c) Derive and equation for the rockets height y(t), as a function
of m0 , k, vex , and g. (6 points)
Note: This will require an integral that you can find inside the front
cover of the text.
Solution
(a) We know that the change in momentum (of the rocket plus the ejected
fuel) in a time dt is dP = m dv + dm vex . But we also know from
Newtons second law that P = Fext when there is an external force,
which means that dP = Fext dt (note that linear momentum is NOT
conserved in this problem. Gravity is an external force). Equating these
two expressions for dP gives us m dv + dm vex = Fext dt. Dividing by
dt and rearranging, we get mv = mv
ex + Fext . Finally, with m
=k
and Fext = mg, the equation of motion becomes
mv = kvex mg.

(5)

(b) Since dm
= k, we can integrate with respect to t to find that m =
dt
m0 kt (the rockets mass decreases as a linear function of time, as
expected). Therefore, the equation of motion separates to give


kvex
g dt.
(6)
dv =
m0 kt
5

Integrating the LHS from 0 to v and the RHS from 0 to t, we get




m0
gt.
v(t) = vex ln
(7)
m0 kt
This answer is physically reasonable. If the exhaust speed or the fuel
burn rate is zero, then we simply have free-fall (the gt term).
(c) The height y(t) is found by integrating v(t) with respect to time. Using
the identity ln(a/b) = ln(a) ln(b), we can split the integral into three
parts:
Z t
Z t
Z t
Z 2

y(t) =
v(t )dt = vex
ln m0 dt vex
ln(m0 kt )dt
gt dt .
0

(8)
The first integrand on the RHS is independent of time, and evaluates
to vex t ln m0 . The third integral evaluates easily to 21 gt2 . The middle
integral requires a bit of work. We will change variables from t to m ,
integrating from m0 to m. Since m = m0 kt , we have dt = dm /k.
The integral becomes
Z
Z t
vex m

vex
ln m dm
(9)
ln(m0 kt )dt =
k m0
0
vex
m
=
[m ln m m ]m0
(10)
k
vex
= (m0 ln m0 m ln m) + vex t, (11)
k
where the last step uses the fact that m0 m = kt. Putting all the
integrals together, we get
1
y(t) = vex t gt2 +
2
1 2
= vex t gt
2
1 2
= vex t gt
2

vex
(kt ln m0 m0 ln m0 + m ln m)
k
mvex  m0 
ln
k
m


(m0 kt)vex
m0
.
ln
k
m0 kt

(12)
(13)
(14)

#7 (15 points)
A mass m oscillates along the x-axis, on a spring with force constant k. The
amplitude of the oscillations is d. At the moment when the the mass is
at position x = d/2 and moving in the direction of increasing x (call this
moment t = 0), it collides with and sticks to another equal mass m.
(a) What is the speed of the combined mass immediately after
the collision (3 points)?
(b) What is x(t) for the combined mass? (4 points)?
(c) What is the amplitude of oscillation for the combined mass?
(4 points)?
(d) What fraction of the initial total mechanical energy is lost
during the collision? (4 points)?
Solution
(a) This is a momentum conservation problem, for a perfectly inelastic
collision between two equal masses in which the initial velocity of the
second mass is zero. We need to find the velocity of the first mass immediately before
p the collision. For SHM, we know that x(t) = d cos(t),
where = k/m. The collision occurs at t = 0 and at x = d/2, and
therefore x(0) = d cos() = d cos() = d/2, which gives = /3.
The velocity immediately before the collision is therefore

(15)
v(0) = d sin() = d sin(/3) = ( 3/2)d.
We want the positive solution, because we know that the mass is moving
in the direction of increasing x. Now, we know all of the masses and
speeds before the collision, and we apply conservation of momentum:
m1 vi + 0 = (m1 + m2 )vf vf =

vi
,
2

(16)

Which tells us that the


speed of the combined mass immediately after
the collision is vf = ( 3/4)d.
(b) From chapter 6, we know that there are 4 different ways to express
SHM. However,
since we know the initial position (x0 = d/2) and veloc
ity (v0 = ( 3/4)d), the most useful expression is x(t) = B1 cos t +
7

B2 sin t, where B1 and B2 are x0 and v0 / , respectively. =


p
k/2m is the new angular frequency, corresponding to the doubled
mass. Therefore,

d
6d

x(t) = cos t +
(17)
sin t.
2
4
(c) The amplitude of the oscillations is
r
q
A=

B12 + B22 =

d2 6d2
+
=
4
16

5
d.
8

(18)

(d) For SHM, E = 21 kA2 . Before the collision, A = d, and E = 12 kd2 . After
q
the collision, A = 58 d, and E = 12 k(5/8)d2 . Comparing these values,
we see that 3/8 of the initial total mechanical energy is lost. Compare
this with the case where two equal masses (one initially stationary),
without any springs collide in a perfectly inelastic fashion. There, 1/2
of the energy is lost. The difference in our case is that there is potential
energy stored in the spring, and that isnt affected by the collision.
#7 (15 points)
The potential energy of two atoms in a molecule can sometimes be approximated by the Morse function,
h
i
2
U (r) = A e(Sr)/R 1 1 ,
where r is the distance between the atoms and A, R, and S are positive
constants with S R.

(a) Find the equilibrium separation r0 at which U (r) is a minimum; use


any logical reasoning to prove that r0 is in fact a minimum and not a
maximum (4 points).
(b) Write r = r0 + x so that x is the displacement from equilibrium. Then,
show that for small displacements, U has the approximate form U =
const + 12 kx2 (8 points).
(c) What is the force constant k, in terms of A, R, and S? (3 points)
8

Solution
(a) r0 is found by setting dU/dr to zero. However, in the case of this
particular U (r), it should be clear that we just want to minimize the
magnitude of e(Sr)/R 1. This simply gives r0 = S. We know that
it must be a minimum because U (r) is large and positive for r 0
(since R S), U (r) is negative and approaching zero for r , and
U (S) = A.
(b) If we set r = r0 + x = S + x, then a Taylor expansion of the exponential
term about x = 0 gives
e

(Sr)/R

=e

x/R

x
x2

1 +
R 2R2

(19)

and therefore
(
)

2
 x 2
x
x2
1 2
U =A
1 +

1
kx ,

A+A
=
const+
R 2R2
R
2
(20)
where we retained only enough terms in the series to express U up to
second order in x.
(c) From part (b), we see that k = 2A/R2 .

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