Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Problem Sheet 3 – Solutions

1. (a) The matrix is already diagonal, so the eigenvalues are simply

I1 = 1, I2 = 2, I3 = 3,

and the eigenvectors are

ê1 = (1, 0, 0), ê2 = (0, 1, 0), ê3 = (0, 0, 1).

(b) One of the eigenvalues is obviously I1 = 1 and the corresponding eigenvector ê1 =
(1, 0, 0). To find the others you have to diagonalise the matrix. The eigenvalues of matrix
M are given by the solutions of the characteristic equation
 
det M − λ1 = 0,

where 1 is the unit matrix. In the current case we have

 
1 − λ 0 0 
1  = (1 − λ) (2 − λ)2 − 1 = 0.


 0
 2−λ
 0 1 2 − λ
Besides the solution λ = 1 which we already found, the two others are given by

(2 − λ)2 = 1 ⇒ 2 − λ = ±1 ⇒ λ = 2 ± 1,

which means that the eigenvalues are I2 = 1 and I3 = 3. To find the eigenvector ê3 , we
have to solve the equation M · ê3 = 3ê3 , or more explicitly
      
1 0 0 e3,1 e3,1 3e3,1
0 2 −1 e3,2  = 2e3,2 − e3,3  = 3e3,2  .
0 −1 2 e3,3 2e3,3 − e3,2 3e3,3
The first line gives e3,1 = 0, and the second gives e3,3 = −e3,2 , so we can write the
normalised eigenvector as
   
e3,1 0
1
ê3 = e3,2  = √  1  ,
e3,3 2 −1
√
where the overall factor 1/ 2 is determined from the condition |ê3 | = 1.
To find ê2 , we need to solve the equation M · ê2 = ê2 , or explicitly
      
1 0 0 e2,1 e2,1 e2,1
0 2 −1 e2,2  = 2e2,2 − e2,3  = e2,2  .
0 −1 2 e2,3 2e2,3 − e2,2 e2,3
Now, the first line does not determine e2,1 , but this is because the eigenvalues I1 and I2 are
degenerate. We have to choose the eigenvector ê2 to be orthogonal to ê1 , which simply
means taking e2,1 = 0. The second line gives e2,2 = e2,3 , so we can write down the
normalised eigenvector    
e2,1 0
1
ê2 = e2,2  = √ 1 ,
e2,3 2 1

1
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Problem Sheet 3 – Solutions

(c) To diagonalise this matrix, write the characteristic equation

 
2 − λ 1 1 
1  = (2 − λ) (2 − λ)2 − 1 − 2(λ − 1) = 0.


 1
 2−λ
 1 1 2 − λ

Expanding this, we obtain the equation

λ3 − 6λ2 + 9λ − 4 = 0.

This is a cubic equation, and there is a general solution to them, but it is much easier to
inspect the equation and note that λ = 1 is a root, and therefore one eigenvalue is I1 = 1.
Therefore we can factorise the LHS by using the Ansatz

λ3 − 6λ2 + 9λ − 4 = (λ − 1)(λ + aλ + b) = λ3 + (a − 1)λ2 + (b − a)λ − b,

from which it is easy to find that a = −5 and b = 4. Our equation is therefore

(λ − 1)(λ2 − 5λ + 4) = 0.

The two other eigenvalues are then found by solving the quadratic equation λ2 − 5λ + 4 =
0, which gives √
5 ± 25 − 16 5±3
λ= = ,
2 2
so the other two eigenvalues are I2 = (5 − 3)/2 = 1 and I3 = (5 + 3)/2 = 4.
The eigenvectors are, again found by solving
      
2 1 1 ei,1 2ei,1 + ei,2 + ei,3 Ii ei,1
1 2 1 ei,2  = ei,1 + 2ei,2 + ei,3  = Ii ei,2  .
1 1 2 ei,3 ei,1 + ei,2 + 2ei,3 Ii ei,3

For i = 3, I3 = 4, the solution is

 
1
1  
ê3 = √ 1 ,
3 1

and the two others have to orthogonal to this and each other, for example
   
0 2
1 1
ê1 = √  1  , ê2 = √ −1 .
2 −1 6 −1

Remember to always check that you haven’t made mistakes by substituting your eigen-
vectors into the eigenvalue equation!

2. (a) Choose z–axis along the line of the rod, with origin at the centre of mass. The locations
of m1 is then z1 = −m2 `/(m1 + m2 ) and of m2 is z2 = m1 `/(m1 + m2 ). The x
and y axes are arbitrary. Since the x and y coordinates of the masses are zero then all
off–diagonal components of Iij are zero. Hence the chosen axes are principal, and Ixx =
I1 = m1 z12 + m2 z22 = µ`2 = Iyy = I1 , where µ is the reduced mass. Izz = I3 = 0. It is
a symmetric body.

2
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Problem Sheet 3 – Solutions

(b) For an origin at the centre of mass set axes such that the position of the mass m1 is
r1 = (0, y1 , 0),
and the positions of the two masses m2 are
r± = (±` sin θ, y2 , 0),
where y2 − y1 = ` cos θ. Since the origin is at the centre of mass, we must have m1 y1 +
2m2 y2 = 0, which implies
y1 = −2m2 ` cos θ/(m1 + 2m2 ),
y2 = m1 ` cos θ/(m1 + 2m2 ).
Since z = 0, Ixz = Iyz = 0, and Ixy = 0 by symmetry. Hence the chosen axes are
principal. The principal moments are
I1 = m1 y12 + 2m2 y22 = 2m1 m2 `2 cos2 θ/(m1 + 2m2 ),
I2 = 2m2 `2 sin2 θ,
I3 = I1 + I2 .
For 0 < θ < π/2, we have I1 , I2 < I3 and in general I1 6= I2 so the system is generally
 −1/2
not a symmetric body. However if θ is chosen such that tan θ = 1 + 2m m1
2
, then
I1 = I2 and the system is a symmetric body.
 
a a
(c) Position mass m1 at (0, 0, z1 ) and the three masses m2 at 2√ 3
, ± 2 , z2 and
  q
− √a3 , 0, z2 . Now z1 − z2 = 2
3 a (the height of the tetrahedron) and since the ori-
q
gin lies at the centre of mass we require m1 z1 + 3m2 z2 = 0. Hence z1 = +3 23 m M a
2
q
and z2 = − 23 m M a, where M = m1 + 3m2 is the total mass. The formulæ for the
1

components of the inertia tensor yield

m2 2 m 1
  
2 
Ixx Ixy Ixz M + 2 a
1
0 0
m2 2 m 1 2


I =  Iyx Iyy Iyz  =  0 M + 2 a
1
0 .
Izx Izy Izz 0 0 m2 a2
The system is a symmetric body, unless m1 = m2 in which case it is totally symmetric.
Chosen axes are principal. (Of course any other orthogonal axes in the x − y plane would
suffice.)
3. (a) Masses located at (a, 0, 0), (0, a, 2a) and (0, 2a, a). Using the given formulæ we calculate
10ma2
 
0 0
I= 0 6ma2 −4ma2  .
0 −4ma2 6ma2

Clearly the x-axis is principal

 withmoment I1 = 10ma2 . To calculate the other two we
6 −4
must diagonalize ma2 found by solving the quadratic
−4 6
 
2 6−λ 4 

ma  = 0,
4 6−λ 

3
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Problem Sheet 3 – Solutions

or λ2 − 12λ + 20 = 0. The roots are λ= 10ma2 =  I2 and λ = 2ma 

2 = I . A
3
normalized choice of eigenvectors is ê2 = 0, √12 , − √12 and ê3 = 0, √12 , √12 . These,
together with ê1 = (1, 0, 0) define three principal axes. (n.b. any other orthogonal choice
in the plane of ê1 and ê2 would suffice as the system is a symmetric body.)
(b) The angular velocity is given by ω = ( √13 , √13 , √13 )ω, with components along the princi-
√ √
pal axes given by ω1 = ω · ê1 = ω/ 3, ω2 = ω · ê2 = 0 and ω3 = ω · ê3 = √23 ω. Hence
the rotational kinetic energy is
T = 12 I1 ω12 + I2 ω22 + I3 ω32 = 12 10 × 31 + 10 × 0 + 2 × 32 (10 s−1 )2 ma2

≈ 233ma2 /s2 .
(c) If we denote the
√ original
√ inertia tensor by Iij , then after the addition of the fourth mass at
point r = (2, 3, 3)a, the new inertia tensor is
Iij0 = Iij + m r2 δij − ri rj .

The given unit vector ê is the same as the original principal axis ê2 , and it is easily shown
to be orthogonal to the position vector r of the fourth mass by computing
√ √ T
  
1 1
ê · r = 0, √ , − √ · 2, 3, 3 = 0 .
2 2
2
√ moment I2 gets an additional contribution md
Therefore the corresponding principal
from the fourth mass, where d = 10a is the distance from the rotation axis. The new
principal moment is therefore
I20 = I2 + 10m2 = 20ma2 .

4. (a) The velocity of an element of mass mi in a rigid body rotating with angular velocity ω is
ω × ri . The total angular momentum is therefore given by
X
L = mi ri × (ω × ri ) ,
i
X
mi ri2 ω − (ω · ri ) ri
 
=

= I·ω.
Noting that ri2 = x2i + yi2 + zi2 we obtain for Lx
X
mi x2i + yi2 + zi2 ωx − (xi ωx + yi ωy + zi ωz ) xi ,


Lx =
i
X
yi2 + zi2 ωx − (yi ωy + zi ωz ) xi ,


=
i
= Ixx ωx + Ixy ωy + Ixz ωz ,
whence
X
mi yi2 + zi2 ,


Ixx =
i
X
Ixy = − mi (xi yi ) .
i
[5 marks]

4
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Problem Sheet 3 – Solutions

(b) The inertia tensor is both real and symmetric implying that its eigenvalues are real and its
eigenvectors are (or may be chosen to be if degeneracy is present) orthogonal. A choice for
the principal axes of a disc are shown by the cartesian axes in figure 1: For the indicated

Figure 1:

axes Z a  
M
I1 = Ixx = 2πr r2 dr = 12 M a2 .
0 πa2
To calculate I2 = Iyy = Izz = I3 we need to add up the strips according to figure 2 The

Figure 2:

area of each strip is given by 2a cos θ × (a dθ cos θ) = 2a2 cos2 θ dθ. The distance of each
strip from the axis is a sin θ. Hence
Z +π/2  

M
I2 = 2
2a cos θ × a dθ × (a sin θ)2
−π/2 πa2
Z +π/2
2
= M a2 sin2 θ cos2 θ dθ
π −π/2
2 π
= M a2 × = 14 M a2 .
π 8
[7 marks]

5
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Problem Sheet 3 – Solutions

(c) The kinetic energy is given by

1
T = 2ω ·I·ω
  
Ixx − − ω
1
 
= ω 0 0  Iyx − −   0 
2
Izx − − 0
1 2
= 2 Ixx ω .
Putting in the numbers

Figure 3:

1 2 1 2 2 2


T = 2 Ixx ω = 2 I1 cos θ + I2
sin θ ω ,
1 2 1 2 1 2 2
= 2Ma 2 cos θ + 4 sin θ ω
◦ ◦
1 2 1 2 1 2
× 50 s−1 )2


= 2 × 3 kg × (0.2 m) 2 cos 10 + 4 sin 10 (2π
= 2916 J = 2.9 kJ .
We are given that
Ixx = I1 cos2 θ + I2 sin2 θ ,
1
Iyx = 2 cos ωt (I1 − i2 ) sin 2θ ,
1
Izx = 2 sin ωt (I1 − I2 ) sin 2θ .
For fixed ω the couple on the axle is given by
 
ω
∂I ∂I 
G = ·ω = · 0 ,
∂t ∂t
0
   
Ixx 0
∂
= ω  Iyx  = ω 2  −Izx  .
∂t
Izx iyx
Hence

1/2
|G| = ω 2 Ixx
2 2
+ Iyx ,
1 2
= 2 ω (I1 − I2 ) sin
2θ ,
1 2 2 1 1
= 2ω Ma 2 − 4 sin 2θ ,
−1 2
1
× (0.2 m)2 1 1
sin (2 × 10◦ ) ,



= 2 × 2π × 50 s × 3 kg 2 − 4
= 506 Nm .

6
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Problem Sheet 3 – Solutions

[8 marks]