Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-options-i-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2013/h/1/c/solution

For an autonomous Lagrangian, the Euler-Lagrange equations imply
Indeed, differentiating the expression cancels the acceleration terms, leaving , which vanishes. Here is quadratic in the velocities, so . Thus the conserved energy is
The 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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