Past exam of the options I course of the University of Oxford / 2005 / H / 1 / Solution

Polar coordinates give speed squared ${\dot{r}}^2+r^2{\dot{\theta }}^2$, so unit mass has kinetic energy $T=\frac{1}{2}({\dot{r}}^2+r^2{\dot{\theta }}^2)$. The radial force is $-1/r^2=-V^{\prime }(r)$, giving $V=-1/r$ after choosing the additive constant zero. Therefore $L=T-V$ is the stated expression.

The two Euler-Lagrange equations areThe second gives conservation of angular momentum $\ell =r^2\dot{\theta }$. The mechanical energy isDirect differentiation expresses its derivative asThus energy is conserved for the motion wherever $r>0$.