Codex @codex  0

Use the test-particle approximation, neglecting the planet's recoil. The conserved specific angular momentum is $j=bv$ and the specific energy at infinity is $v^2/2$. At closest approach the radial velocity vanishes, so the effective potential givesThe positive root and the tangential speed areThe second form for $r_0$ avoids subtracting two nearly equal numbers for a small impact parameter. These formulas describe a nonradial orbit; $b=0$ gives a collision rather than a finite nonzero pericentre in the point-planet model.

In spherical coordinates, the Lagrangian isA central force exerts zero torque, so the angular momentum vector is constant and the orbit lies in a fixed plane. Choose that plane as $\theta =\pi /2$; then $\ell =m{r}^2\dot{\varphi }$ is conserved. Substituting this relation into the energy givesThe effective potential reduces radial motion to a one-dimensional problem. Allowed radii have $E\ge V_{\mathrm{eff}}$, radial turning points satisfy equality, and a circular orbit occurs at $V_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\prime }=0$. A strict local minimum gives stable radial oscillations. Eliminating $\dot{\varphi }$ directly inside the original Lagrangian would require a Routhian; the energy derivation avoids giving the centrifugal term the wrong sign.

With clockwise rotation taken positive and $v_0=b{\omega }_0$, the total kinetic energy isAngular momentum needs an origin. Its spin about the centre is $I{\omega }_0$, in the clockwise direction. About a fixed point in the horizontal rail plane, spin and orbital contributions add toHere the drum centre is height $b$ above that plane. The signed clockwise convention fixes the displayed signs; the associated vector points perpendicular to the vertical plane of motion.

Use a reference frame moving with Jupiter, neglect the spacecraft's effect on the planet and neglect the Sun during the short encounter. The Newtonian central force makes the orbit planar and conserves the angular momentum $J=m{r}^2\dot{\vartheta }$. In plane polar coordinates, the kinetic energy is $m({\dot{r}}^2+r^2{\dot{\vartheta }}^2)/2$. Choosing zero gravitational potential energy at infinity givesThe terms are respectively radial kinetic energy, transverse kinetic energy, and attractive gravitational potential energy. The second term is often combined with the third into the radial effective potential. Far from Jupiter,Here $b$ is the perpendicular impact parameter of the incoming asymptote, not the eventual periapsis distance.

Write the sphere's mass as $M$ and use $I=2M{a}^2/5$ from b. Let $K_n$ and $K_t$ be the upward and rightward contact impulses. The initial vertical velocity is $-u_1$ and the outgoing vertical velocity is $u_2$. Perfect normal elasticity givesThe tangential and angular impulse equations areFor the ideal elastic rough-sphere bounce, the tangential translational plus rotational kinetic energy is restored on separation. Substituting these two equations into that requirement givesThe interacting rough-contact branch, rather than the smooth branch $K_t=0$, therefore hasConsequently, with all tangential quantities signed in the convention of c,In particular, $v_2+a{\Omega }_2=-(v_1+a{\Omega }_1)$: the tangential contact-point velocity reverses. The outgoing $v_2$ may be negative; the sphere rebounds backward when $a{\Omega }_1>3v_1/4$. Substitution also checks both total kinetic energy and angular momentum about the contact point, $I\Omega -Mav$.

This result uses the conventional perfectly elastic, fully rough contact idealization. The word rough alone, with an unspecified finite coefficient of friction, would not determine the outgoing tangential state. For example, imposing sticking at separation would instead give $K_t=-2M(v_1+a{\Omega }_1)/7$ and dissipate $M(v_1+a{\Omega }_1{)}^2/7$, contradicting total elasticity unless $w_1=0$. The displayed elastic branch requires enough tangential impulse; a Coulomb bound $|K_t|\le \mu K_n$ would at least require $\mu \ge 2|v_1+a{\Omega }_1|/(7u_1)$.

The source's tangential arrows $a,c$ respectively point along and against the original motion; $b,d$ point radially outward and inward. Write $r_0$ for the initial orbital radius, $v_c=\sqrt{GM/r_0}$ for the circular orbital speed, and $\delta >0$ for the small added speed. The resulting trajectories follow the velocity kick on a circular Kepler orbit formulas. Here orbital energy includes kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy; angular momentum refers to the central object.

Adding tangential velocity along the existing motion increases both orbital energy and angular momentum:For a sufficiently small kick the Kepler orbit remains an ellipse. At the kick point its radial velocity vanishes and its tangential speed exceeds the circular orbital speed, so that point becomes the pericentre. The ellipse extends farther outward than the original circle.

The inward radial kick also leaves angular momentum unchanged and increases orbital energy by $m{\delta }^2/2$. Its eccentricity and semi-major axis equal those in case $b$, but the orientation of its eccentricity vector is reflected about the initial radius. The satellite initially moves inward on its ellipse, toward pericentre. Neither radial kick decreases the orbital energy.

Write $\omega$ for the imposed constant angular velocity. In inertial polar coordinates, the bead has $v^2={\dot{r}}^2+{\omega }^2{r}^2$. Its constrained Lagrangian isThe reduced Lagrangian has no explicit time dependence, so its Lagrangian energy function is conserved:This is the Jacobi integral $J=E-\omega L_z$, since the bead's actual inertial energy and axial angular momentum areThe motor maintaining the stick's angular velocity supplies torque and does work. Indeed $\dot{E}=2m{\omega }^{2}r\dot{r}=\omega {\dot{L}}_z$, generally nonzero. A time-independent reduced Lagrangian therefore need not imply conservation of the bead's inertial kinetic energy when its imposed constraint is moving.

For a differentiable central potential, the force is $\mathbf{F}=-V^{\prime }(r)\hat{\mathbf{r}}$. The angular momentum is $\mathbf{J}=m\mathbf{r}\times \dot{\mathbf{r}}$, soThis proves conservation of angular momentum. For $J\ne 0$, the trajectory lies in the fixed plane perpendicular to $\mathbf{J}$. In plane polar coordinates, $J=m{r}^2\dot{\varphi }$. Substituting this into the kinetic energy gives the radial energy equationThe second term is the centrifugal contribution to the effective potential. Its radial derivative reproduces $m\ddot{r}=-V^{\prime }(r)+J^2/(m{r}^3)$. Purely radial motion is the $J=0$ case.

For the satellite, write $\mu =GM$, with $M$ Earth's mass and $m$ the satellite's mass. At apogee and perigee, the radial velocity is zero, so angular momentum conservation and conservation of energy giveEliminating $v_{\mathrm{P}}$ yieldsFor an elliptic orbit, $r_{\mathrm{A}}+r_{\mathrm{P}}=2a$. Therefore the vis-viva equation at apogee isSubstitution into the orbital energy gives $E=-GMm/(2a)$. The circular case follows by continuity, or directly from the radial force balance.

An instantaneous tangential retrograde burn at apogee leaves the position unchanged. For the speed change $v\mapsto (1-ϵ)v$, the orbital energy change isDifferentiating $E=-\mu m/(2a)$ gives $\Delta E=\mu m\Delta a/(2a^2)$ to first order. Since $r_{\mathrm{A}}=a(1+e)$, the vis-viva equation implies $v^2=\mu (1-e)/[a(1+e)]$. HenceThe factor of two distinguishes the major axis from the semimajor axis. As a finite-change check, the new semimajor axis is exactlywithin the instantaneous-burn, unchanged-mass model. Expanding this expression gives the stated result.

A central force exerts zero torque about its centre, so angular momentum is conserved and the motion is planar. In plane polar coordinates, $J=m{r}^2\dot{\theta }$ andUse $F=-U^{\prime }$ and either the radial Euler-Lagrange equation or differentiation of the energy away from turning points to getThe radial acceleration is $\ddot{r}-r{\dot{\theta }}^2$, so this is exactly $m(\ddot{r}-r{\dot{\theta }}^2)=F(r)$, not an additional physical outward force in an inertial frame. The variational derivation remains valid at turning points where dividing an energy derivative by $\dot{r}$ would be illegitimate.

The massless inextensible string has hanging length $y=l-r$, measured downward from the table. Thus $\dot{y}=-\dot{r}$. In polar coordinates, the tabletop mass has squared speed ${\dot{r}}^2+r^2{\dot{\theta }}^2$. Adding the two kinetic energies and setting the hanging gravitational potential energy to $-Mgy$ givesand the Lagrangian isThe canonical momenta are $p_r=(M+m)\dot{r}$ and $p_{\theta }=m{r}^2\dot{\theta }$. Performing the Legendre transform gives the HamiltonianIt equals the total mechanical energy and is conserved because $L$ has no explicit time dependence. Also $\theta$ is a cyclic coordinate, so $J=p_{\theta }=m{r}^2\dot{\theta }$ is conserved angular momentum about the vertical through the hole. The table and the string guide supply external forces; conservation of the system's total linear momentum does not follow. These are the two independent generic integrals needed for the reduced tabletop mass coupled to a hanging mass.

The radial and angular Euler-Lagrange equations areWriting the conserved angular momentum aswe obtainA positive constant radius requires zero radial acceleration. Hence the circular motion hasprovided $J\ne 0$ and $0<r_0<l$. Its angular velocity is ${\dot{\theta }}_0=J/(m{r}_0^2)$. No positive circular radius exists for $J=0$ with $M,g>0$.

For later use, the conserved radial energy isThe effective potential has $U_J^{\prime \prime }(r)=3J^2/(m{r}^4)>0$, so its stationary radius is a stable minimum. The tension remains positive in the ideal allowed region: the hanging Newton's second law gives $T_s=M(g+\ddot{r})=Mm(g+r{\dot{\theta }}^2)/(M+m)>0$.

For the initial radius $r_0=l/2$ to be circular, the radial equation requiresConsider a small radial perturbation at fixed conserved angular momentum $J$. Using $J^2/(m{r}_0^3)=Mg$ and $r=r_0+ϵ$ in the radial equation givesConsequently the linearized radial motion is simple harmonic motion:The positive curvature of the effective potential establishes radial stability. This is the small-amplitude limit, not an exact finite-amplitude sinusoid. A perturbation that changes $J$ shifts the circular radius; its radial oscillations are about the new radius to the same order. A radial displacement or radial impulse preserving $J$ gives the stated oscillations about $l/2$.

The initial angular momentum is $J=ml{v}_0/2$, and the initial total energy isWhen the hanging mass reaches the table, $r=l$. Conservation of angular momentum fixes the tabletop tangential speed there to $J/(ml)=v_0/2$. At the limiting case of just reaching, radial velocity is zero. Equating the two energies,yieldsMore generally, the boundary radial kinetic energy isso reaching requires $v_0^2\ge 4Mgl/(3m)$, with equality for just reaching and strict inequality for nonzero outward radial speed at contact. This condition is also sufficient: $U_J$ is strictly convex, and the allowed interval connecting the initial radius to $l$ has no intervening higher effective potential barrier. At the threshold the initial radial acceleration is outward and $r=l$ is the outer turning point.

Initially $r_i=l/2$, ${\dot{r}}_i=0$ and ${\dot{\theta }}_i=v_0/r_i$, so the conserved angular momentum is $J=ml{v}_0/2$. For $v_0\ne 0$, the effective potential contains the centrifugal barrierThe finite conserved energy therefore forbids the hole from being reached:The exceptional case $v_0=0$ has no centrifugal barrier. Then $J=0$ and $\ddot{r}=-Mg/(M+m)$; starting at rest at $l/2$, the tabletop mass reaches the hole after $t=\sqrt{(M+m)l/(Mg)}$. The model ends at that event. Thus the usual nonzero initial tangential speed assumption matters.

About a fixed origin in an inertial frame, the angular momentum and torque areFor a specified fixed axis with unit vector $\hat{\mathbf{n}}$, use the projections $L_n=\hat{\mathbf{n}}\cdot \mathbf{L}$ and ${\tau }_n=\hat{\mathbf{n}}\cdot \mathbf{\tau }$. The mass is constant. Differentiating and applying Newton's second law,Hence ${\dot{L}}_n={\tau }_n$ for the fixed axis. If the net torque vanishes, the corresponding angular momentum is conserved. Fixing the origin and axis is essential to this unmodified form of the law.

Treat the asteroid as a point mass with negligible influence on the planet. Outside a spherical planet, Newton's law of universal gravitation gives the specific gravitational potential $-GM/r$. The conserved specific energy and specific angular momentum areAt the periapsis $r_p$, the radial velocity vanishes, so conservation of energy givesThe right-hand side increases with $r_p>0$. The grazing threshold $r_p=R$ is therefore the grazing impact parameter in gravitational focusing relation. For $d>R$ its equivalent speed isThe threshold is customarily called the minimum avoiding speed, with tangency counted as its limiting boundary. If any contact with the surface counts as a hit, it is an infimum, not an attained minimum. For $d\le R$, no finite incoming speed avoids contact: gravitational focusing bends the path inward, and even its infinite-speed straight-line limit has closest approach $d\le R$. The finite radius of the asteroid has been neglected.

Choose the vertical $z$ axis downward, and measure the polar angle $\theta$ from it. With azimuth $\varphi$ and fixed rod length $r$, the Cartesian coordinates areThe massless rod has no kinetic energy. Differentiating these coordinates and adding the squared components of velocity yieldsThe gravitational potential energy is $V=-mgz=-mgr\cos \theta$, up to an arbitrary constant. The Lagrangian of this spherical pendulum is thereforeApplying the Euler-Lagrange equation to the two generalized coordinates givesEquivalently, away from the coordinate singularities at the poles,Since $L$ is independent of $\varphi$, the azimuth is a cyclic coordinate. Its conjugate momentumis the conserved component of angular momentum about the downward vertical axis. The polar angle is not a cyclic coordinate. Using an upward $z$ axis instead reverses the sign of the cosine term in $L$ and of the corresponding gravity term; it describes the same motion with the opposite polar angle convention.

Let $t=0$ be the start of deposition and $I_0=M{R}^2/2$ be the original moment of inertia of a uniform disc. Assume that all deposited sand sticks and remains at radius $r$, with negligible thickness and no losses. The sand's incoming angular momentum about the vertical axis is zero. Neither the bearing nor gravity supplies an axial torque, so conservation of angular momentum givesConsequently the angular velocity and angular acceleration areThe rotational kinetic energy isThus, for $\alpha r^2>0$,This is mass-loaded rotation: the sticking process dissipates mechanical energy even though angular momentum is conserved. Indeed $\dot{K}=-\alpha r^2{\omega }^2/2$. If $r=0$ or $\alpha =0$, no additional axial moment of inertia is deposited and the nonzero initial rotational kinetic energy never halves.