Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematical-methods-ii-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2013/8/d/solution

For the constant small-oscillation matrices, the total mechanical energy satisfies
The specified conservative pendulum has Lagrangian , whose Euler-Lagrange equations give
or and . These equations make .
The scalar energy law alone is insufficient to infer two unique equations: energy conservation does not uniquely determine equations of motion. In particular, adding on the right with antisymmetric changes the dynamics but contributes zero power. The conservative-force structure of the given pendulum excludes that extra gyroscopic force and supplies the information needed for the displayed matrix equations.

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