PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Mechanics & Dynamical Systems · Hamiltonian mechanics and canonical structure · Hamiltonian mechanics and canonical structure
Action and Symmetry, Ch The Hamiltonian, phase space and the variational principle in phase space
Problem
A double pendulum has two bobs, each of mass m=0.50kg, on light rods each of length l=0.40m, swinging in one vertical plane. With θ1 and θ2 the angles of the upper and lower rods from the downward vertical, and g=9.8ms−2, its Lagrangian is L=21ml2[2θ˙12+θ˙22+2θ˙1θ˙2cos(θ1−θ2)]+mgl(2cosθ1+cosθ2).
((a)) Write the velocity Hessian ∂2L/∂θ˙i∂θ˙j and its determinant, and say for which configurations the Legendre transform can be inverted.
((b)) Invert the momentum relations and write H(θ1,θ2,p1,p2).
((c)) At an instant with θ1=60.0∘, θ2=0, p1=0.20kgm2s−1 and p2=0.10kgm2s−1, find θ˙1, θ˙2 and the value of H.