Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ii Paper 1 32C b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
For one degree of freedom, take . Antisymmetry of the Poisson bracket gives , so energy is conserved. The stated condition is exactly , which supplies the required functional independence. Hence the system is integrable at every such regular point.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ii Paper 3 8B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
The repulsive force is , so the Hamiltonian isThe Hamilton's equations give and . Consequentlyso the angular momentum is conserved. Moreover,It follows that the Laplace-Runge-Lenz vector is conserved. By the Hamiltonian conservation law, these time derivatives are exactly and , so both Poisson brackets vanish.
The integrals of motion are the energy , the components of , and the components of , subject toTaking the dot product of with givesTherefore the polar equation of a repulsive inverse-square orbit iswhere and . For a nonradial physical scattering orbit , the identity above gives , as expected for a hyperbolic Kepler orbit.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 3 8D b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Hamilton's equations and the multivariable chain rule giveThus the Hamiltonian conservation law gives