Past exam of the classical mechanics course of the University of Oxford / 2023 / 1 / a

Each simple pendulum moves in the vertical plane containing the pivots. Ignoring contact between the ideal rods and point masses, each rod can turn through a full circle. Thus the configuration space is the torusChoose generalized coordinates ${\theta }_1,{\theta }_2$, measured from the downward vertical, positive towards the right and understood modulo $2\pi$. These angles are local coordinates on the torus, rather than a single globally one-to-one real coordinate chart. With upward Cartesian coordinate $y$, the bob positions areTheir velocities satisfy $|{\dot{\mathbf{r}}}_j{|}^2=l^2{\dot{\theta }}_j^2$, so kinetic energy from Cartesian position vectors givesThe spring length is the Euclidean distanceTaking gravitational potential energy zero at pivot height gives $V_g=-mgl(\cos {\theta }_1+\cos {\theta }_2)$. The spring potential energy is $V_s=k(d-r{)}^2/2$, since $r$ is its natural length. Consequently the Lagrangian isIn the paper's notation $t({\theta }_1,{\theta }_2)=V_s$; this function is distinct from the time variable. This is the exact Lagrangian of two spring-coupled pendulums.

One alternative Lagrangian isIt corresponds to setting gravitational potential energy zero at the downward position. The constant disappears from every Euler-Lagrange equation. More generally, total-time-derivative invariance of a Lagrangian allows $\tilde{L}=L+dF({\theta }_1,{\theta }_2,t)/dt$ for any smooth $F$.