Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2007 / ia / Paper 4 / 10C (Dynamics)

Dot Newton's second law with $\dot{\mathbf{r}}$. The magnetic cross-product term is perpendicular to this velocity, soThusorThe two halves are the kinetic energy and the isotropic spring's potential energy. The expression in the question is twice their sum. The Lorentz force changes the direction of motion but supplies no power, because it is perpendicular to velocity; this explains why the magnetic field does not appear in the conserved mechanical energy. The sign corresponds to charge $-e$.

Write $\mathbf{v}=\dot{\mathbf{r}}$. The original PDF contains the cross product $\dot{\mathbf{r}}\times \mathbf{r}$; the TeX aid drops its velocity dot. Since $\mathbf{v}\times \mathbf{v}=0$, differentiation and the equation of motion giveThe radial restoring force contributes no torque. The vector triple-product identity yieldsMeanwhileThe derivatives cancel, provingThis is the magnetic axial angular-momentum invariant. Its first term is the negative of the ordinary angular momentum projected on $\mathbf{B}$; retaining that sign is essential.

Let $q(t)=\mathbf{r}(t)\cdot \mathbf{B}$. Since the field is constant, dotting the equation of motion with $\mathbf{B}$ eliminates the magnetic term:This is a harmonic oscillator with frequency $\omega =\sqrt{k/m}$. Initially $q(0)={\mathbf{r}}_0\cdot \mathbf{B}$ and $\dot{q}(0)=0$, because the particle starts at rest. ThereforeThe magnetic force modifies the transverse motion but not this projection. The formula also holds trivially when $\mathbf{B}=0$.