Alfredo Hernndez Cavieres

4th November 2016

Derivations Sheet 3

Derivation 3.1: Minimum surface of revolution

y c2
x = c1 cosh
c1


Proof.

(1)

The area of a strip of the surface is 2 dA = 2x dx dy = 2x 1 + y 2 dx. Therefore,

p

A=

The extremum of this integral is given by

d
xy
p
dx
1 + y 2

=0

x2 y 2
= c21
1 + y 2

y = c1

f
d f

y dx y


= 0, where f = x 1 + y 2 . Therefore,
p

xy
= c1
1 + y 2

x2 y 2 = c21 + c21 y 2
dx

2x 1 + y 2 dx

x
q
= c1 arccosh
c1
x2 c21


y 2 (x2 c21 ) = c21



+ c2

y =

dy
c1
=q
dx
x2 c21

y c2
x = c1 cosh
c1


This is the equation of a catenary. Its important to note that c1 and c2 are constants
determined by the requirement that the curve pass through the two given end points, (x1 , y1 )
and (x2 , y2 ).


Alfredo Hernndez Cavieres

4th November 2016

Derivations Sheet 3

Derivation 3.2: The brachistochrone problem

y
= 1 cos
a

x+

y(2a y)

if y  a y =

x2
a
2

(1)

Proof. If v is the speed along the curve, then the time required for the particle to fall an arc
length ds is ds /v, and the problem consists in finding the minimum of the following integral:
t=

ds
v

If y is measured down from the initial point of release, the conservation of energy
s of the particle
 2

1
dy
dx,
tells us that mv 2 = mgy, or v = 2gy. Since the arc length is defined as ds = 1 +
2
dx
the expression for t becomes
t=

Z s

1 + y 2
dx
2gy

f
d f

The extremum of this integral is given by

y
dx y


= 0, where f =

1 + y 2
d
y

3
2gy
dx 2gy(1 + y)

1 + y 2
. Therefore,
2gy

=0

The solution for this is not trivial; using Mathematica we get the solution in terms of the
parameter a:
y
x+
= 1 cos
a

y(2a y)
a

If y  a, we can get a power-series expansion and obtain y =

x2
a.
2

Alfredo Hernndez Cavieres

4th November 2016

Derivations Sheet 3

Derivation 3.3: Second form of Euler-Lagranges equation

n
X
L
d
d L
L
L
=0
qj
t
dt
qj
dt qj
j

L
=0
qj

(1)

Proof.
n
n
n
L X
L d X
L dL
L
d X
L
L
L
qj = 
qj +
qj  +
qj

+
t
dt
dt j qj
qj
qj
dt j qj
t
t
j

"

"

n
n
n
X
X
d X
L
L
d L
L
L
L
L
=
qj
qj +
qj =
qj +
qj
qj
qj
dt j qj
qj
qj
dt qj
qj
qj
qj
j
j

"

n
X
j

"

"

"

n
X
d L
L
d L
qj
qj =
qj
dt qj
qj
dt qj
j

d L

dt qj

L
=0,
qj

"

qj

j = 1, . . . , n.


Alfredo Hernndez Cavieres

4th November 2016

Derivations Sheet 3

Derivation 3.4
n1 sin 1 = n2 sin 2

(1)

Proof.

q
P~1 = (0, y1 , 0)

l = x2 + y 2 + z 2
1
1
q
P~2 = (x2 , y2 , 0)

l = (x x)2 + y 2 + z 2

2
2

2
~ = (x, 0, z)
Q

1
1
1

2
2

2
2

The total time it takes the light to pass through both mediums is
q
q
l2
1
1
l1
+
= (l1 n1 + l2 n2 ) =
n1 x2 + y12 + z 2 + n2 (x2 x)2 + y22 + z 2
= t1 + t2 =
v1 v2
c
c


ttot

Now we need to optimise the total time, ttot , in terms of the position of Q (Fermats principle):

ttot
1
2z
2z

= 0 = n1 q
+ n2 q
z
c
2 x2 + y12 + z 2
2 (x2 x)2 + y22 + z 2
z = 0,

meaning that the light travels in the plane (x, y).

ttot
2x
1
2(x2 x)

= 0 = n1 q
n2 q
x
c
2
2
2
2
2
2
2 x + y1 + z
2 (x2 x) + y2 + z
x
x2 x
n1 q
n2 q
= 0 n1 sin 1 = n2 sin 2 .
x2 + y12
(x2 x)2 + y22
This is, of course, Snells Law.