Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-options-i-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2013/h/1/c/solution
Past exam of the options I course of the University of Oxford 2013 H 1 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
For an autonomous Lagrangian, the Euler-Lagrange equations implyIndeed, differentiating the expression cancels the acceleration terms, leaving , which vanishes. Here is quadratic in the velocities, so . Thus the conserved energy isThe azimuth is a cyclic coordinate. Its conjugate momentum is constant:Therefore is constant as well. Physically, is the vertical component of angular momentum.
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