Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2015/prelims/mathematics-iv/3/b/i/solution

If , define
The linearized equation is , with bounded simple harmonic motion
Thus the strict stable equilibrium condition is
This is also a sufficient condition for local nonlinear Lyapunov stability. Indeed the equation for the bead on a uniformly rotating wire has the conserved quantity
Its derivative is times the governing equation moved to one side, so it vanishes. At , the last two terms have zero first derivative and positive second derivative . Their strict local minimum traps sufficiently small perturbations. The motion is bounded rather than asymptotically returning to rest.

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