For fixed particle masses and positive total mass, write with the centre of mass. The weighted relative velocities sum to zero, so expanding the kinetic energy eliminates the mixed term and yields the displayed decomposition. For a rigid body, the relative contribution is the rotational kinetic energy about the chosen centre-of-mass axis.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 ia Paper 4 9B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 ii Paper 4 12C a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
In a frame centered at the fixed point or centre of mass, a rotating material point has velocity . The identity converts the rotational kinetic energy into , where the inertia tensor isLikewise integrating gives the angular momentum . These expressions refer to rotational motion about the chosen origin.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ia Paper 4 3A Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Assume the particle masses are fixed and their total mass is positive. The centre of mass and the relative position vectors areTheir weighted sum is zero, so differentiation gives . Expanding the kinetic energy with makes the mixed term vanish:This kinetic-energy decomposition about the centre of mass separates translation from internal motion without assuming any particular force law.
For the rigid body, its relative velocity is . The cross product identity for a unit vector gives , the squared perpendicular distance to the rotation axis. Hence the moment of inertia of the particle is , and summing the rotational kinetic energy yields
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 306 1 iv Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Let , with , and let . Direct differentiation gives , while the time coordinate also satisfies the wave equation. Using the Minkowski metric,Thus both Virasoro constraints hold, and the induced worldsheet metric is . The configuration solves the Nambu–Goto action equations in its interior.
Place the fixed end at . The first free endpoint has at . For the usual single unfolded rotating Nambu–Goto string,This parameter interval need not equal the earlier interval , since that interval was a coordinate convention. The proper length is measured on a constant- slice; the local motion is perpendicular to the string, so there is no longitudinal Lorentz contraction.
All points have the same phase , hence the segment rotates rigidly with angular velocity . At radius , its speed is . Therefore the free tip moves at the speed of light. This is consistent with its Neumann boundary condition: and the Virasoro constraints imply at the free tip. The null endpoint is a boundary limit, not a nondegenerate interior point.
In this conformal gauge, , so the energy density per is . Equivalently, the energy density per proper length is . Thusand the rotational kinetic energy isThe angular momentum about the fixed point isTherefore the Regge trajectory isThe endpoint conditions alone also admit folded extensions with parameter length , . Their proper length, energy and angular momentum are times the values above, and . The displayed answer uses the implicit unfolded-segment convention.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ii Paper 4 8E b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
Multiply the three Euler equations for a torque-free rigid body by and add. The cubic terms cancel, giving conservation of the rotational kinetic energyInstead multiply the equations by and add. The cubic terms again cancel, givingthe squared magnitude of the conserved angular momentum. For an asymmetric body these two quadratic forms are not proportional, so the torque-free rigid-body invariants are independent.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 ia Paper 4 11C b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25