Past exam of the theoretical physics I course of the University of Cambridge 2012 Paper 1 4 Solution 2026-10-20
Use metric signature and units with propagation speed one. The scalar Euler-Lagrange equation givesWith the stated spatial Fourier convention, becomes . Each transformed mode obeysHere and are the initial transformed field and velocity. Reality requires and the same for ; the Fourier convention places no extra in these evolution formulas.
Including the interaction gives the two coupled real Klein-Gordon fields,Adding and subtracting diagonalizes them:Both squared masses are positive for . For arbitrary initial data and , defineThen the general solution is , , with the corresponding reality conditions on initial data.
For the specified sinusoidal initial displacement, put . Both normal fields initially have amplitude and zero time derivative. ConsequentlyWriting and gives and . This is field-amplitude beating of coupled Klein-Gordon modes. The conserved energy includes the interaction term ; separate uncoupled-field energies need not be conserved, and an envelope zero is not by itself exact complete energy transfer.
