Paper 2, Section I, D

Classical Dynamics | Part II, 2015

The Lagrangian for a heavy symmetric top of mass MM, pinned at a point that is a distance ll from the centre of mass, is

L=12I1(θ˙2+ϕ˙2sin2θ)+12I3(ψ˙+ϕ˙cosθ)2MglcosθL=\frac{1}{2} I_{1}\left(\dot{\theta}^{2}+\dot{\phi}^{2} \sin ^{2} \theta\right)+\frac{1}{2} I_{3}(\dot{\psi}+\dot{\phi} \cos \theta)^{2}-M g l \cos \theta

(a) Find all conserved quantities. In particular, show that ω3\omega_{3}, the spin of the top, is constant.

(b) Show that θ\theta obeys the equation of motion

I1θ¨=dVeff dθ,I_{1} \ddot{\theta}=-\frac{d V_{\text {eff }}}{d \theta},

where the explicit form of Veff V_{\text {eff }} should be determined.

(c) Determine the condition for uniform precession with no nutation, that is θ˙=0\dot{\theta}=0 and ϕ˙=\dot{\phi}= const. For what values of ω3\omega_{3} does such uniform precession occur?

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