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Derivations Sheet 3
Proof.
(1)
A=
=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
+ 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 ).
Derivations Sheet 3
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
= 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
x2
a.
2
Derivations Sheet 3
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.
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,
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.