Past exam of the theoretical physics I course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / Paper 1 / 2 / b / Solution

The canonical momenta areThe Legendre transform cancels the velocity-linear magnetic term, giving the energy expressed in velocities,But Hamilton's equations differentiate with respect to canonical coordinates and momenta, not velocities. In its proper canonical variables the same Hamiltonian isIt explicitly contains $B$ because canonical angular momentum differs from mechanical angular momentum. This reconciles magnetic forces with the absence of magnetic work: the magnetic field can exchange radial and tangential motion without changing the total mechanical energy.