Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / ia / Paper 4 / 10B (Dynamics and Relativity)

Apply the rotating-frame derivative formula first to $r$, then to $v^{\prime }=[dr/dt{]}_{S^{\prime }}$. Since the angular velocity is constant in either frame,The two apparent forces in the rotating equation are the Coriolis force and the centrifugal acceleration multiplied by mass. ThusSet ${\varphi }_{\mathrm{eff}}=\varphi -\frac{m}{2}|\omega \times r{|}^2$. The supplied gradient identity gives $\nabla {\varphi }_{\mathrm{eff}}=\nabla \varphi +m\omega \times (\omega \times r)$. Taking the scalar product with $v^{\prime }$ removes $G$, since it is orthogonal to $v^{\prime }$, and removes the Coriolis force. Therefore the energy balance in a uniformly rotating frame isThe displayed quantity is conserved when the potential is stationary in the rotating coordinates. This includes a static inertial potential invariant under rotations about the chosen axis, such as vertical gravity in part (b). If the word conservative only means a time-independent inertial potential, that extra rotational invariance is needed; a conservative force alone does not imply the claimed conservation.

For an explicit counterexample to that unrestricted interpretation, take unit mass, an inertial force $F=e_x$, $\varphi =-x$, no $G$, rotation $\omega =\omega e_z$, and inertial trajectory $r(t)=(t^2/2,1,0)$ with initial velocity zero. It satisfies Newton's second law. Substituting $v^{\prime }=\dot{r}-\omega \times r$ into the proposed energy gives $E=\omega t$, which is not constant for nonzero rotation. The qualified conservation law above is the one used for the hoop.

In the rotating-hoop bead problem, use a signed angle in the hoop plane from the downward vertical. The gravitational potential energy is $-mga\cos \theta$, the rotating-frame speed is $a\dot{\theta }$, and the distance from the rotation axis is $a\sin \theta$. The centrifugal potential givesGravity is stationary in these rotating coordinates, and the frictionless constraint does no work. Projecting the rotating equation along the hoop, or differentiating its effective potential in the one-dimensional Euler-Lagrange equation, givesIf ${\omega }^2>g/a$, the two off-axis positions areTheir unsigned angle to the downward vertical is the same; they lie on opposite sides of the hoop. The second derivative of the effective potential there is $m{\omega }^2{a}^2{\sin }^2{\theta }_0>0$. Equivalently, writing $\theta ={\theta }_0+\delta$ gives to first orderThe same holds at $-{\theta }_0$. Thus both equilibria are stable, with small-oscillation angular frequency $|\omega |\sin {\theta }_0$.