Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2023/prelims/mathematics-iv/4/b/ii/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Oxford 2023 Prelims Mathematics IV 4 b ii Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
The oscillatory numerator has amplitude . Therefore the reciprocal radius stays bounded away from zero exactly whenIn this case the radial bounds areFor completeness, the potential energy per unit mass is , and conservation of mechanical energy givesThis effective potential diverges positively at zero, has one minimum at , and tends to zero from below at infinity. Since the initial radial velocity is negative, the particle first reaches an inner turning point. If , the subsequent outward motion has no finite outer turning point and escapes. At equality the escape speed tends to zero, but the radius is still unbounded; infinity is approached only as time tends to infinity. HenceThe minimum of permits a circular orbit for other initial data, but the nonzero initial radial velocity here excludes that exceptional solution.
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