Physics 420: Classical Mechanics

SUNY Cortland

Fall 2023

Homework

Due	Reading	Problems	Posted
Due	Reading	Problems	Posted
Aug. 28			Aug. 28
Aug. 30	Fowles Ch. 1.1-1.3,1.9- 1.10		Aug. 28
Sept. 1	Fowles Ch. 2.1 and 2.2		Aug. 28
Sept. 4	Labor day		Aug. 28
Sept. 6	2.3 and 2.4	1.6, 1.21 and Using only dimensional analysis estimate the mass of a particle for which gravity, relativity, and quantum mechanics will be relevant.	Aug. 28
Sept. 8			Aug. 28
Sept. 11	2.5 (bring a laptop to class)	Present Problem	Sept. 6
Sept. 13	Folwes Ch. 3.1-3.3	1.1, 1.3, 1.7, 2.1	Sept. 6
Sept. 25	Fowles 3.4		Sept. 21
Sept. 27	Fowles 3.5-3.6	2.2, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7, 2.16, and C2.1(Hint: use the program from class as a staring point)	Sept. 21
Oct. 20	Fowles 3.7-3.9	3.1, 3.3, 3.7, 3.10, 3.22, C3.2 and C3.3.	Oct. 13
Nov. 1	Exam 1		Nov. 1
Nov. 6	6.1-6.4		Nov. 3
Nov. 8		KB/AR present 4.2, AS/JB present 5.13, BH/MR present TBD	Nov. 3
Nov. 13	Since the last reading was posted we have discussed Fowles 4.1-4.3, 5.1-5.4	4.2, 4.5, 4.7, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.8, 5.11, 5.13	Nov. 3
Dec. 8		In class we discuss a strategy to launch a rocket parallel to the surface of the earth. The first stage was to launch it into an eliptical orbit, the second was to shift to a circular orbit. For this launch we will aim for an orbit 1.0e3km above the surface of the earth (which we will take to be 6.4e3km). We will do this in a number of steps. Based on the apocenter and pericenter of the first stage eliptical orbit (orbit 1) determine the specific angular momentum (i.e. l). Calculate the total energy of the rocket in that orbit leaving the mass of the rocket as a variable. Calculate the new specific angular momentum required to place the rocket in a circular orbit at an altitue of 1000km above the surface of the earth (orbit 2). Calculate the total energy of the rocket in the circular orbit leaving the mass of the rocket as a variable. Make a graph of the effective potential for both angular momentums (l for orbits 1 and 2) as a function of r. Include on the graph the two total energies for the target orbits. Calculate the following for the rocket: speed at apocenter of orbit 1 speed at pericenter of orbit 1 speed at any point in orbit 2. calculate the percent difference between the appocenter speed of orbit 1 and the speed of orbit 2. As an alternative launch option work 6.21 Turn in a data table of your measurements on the damped harmonic oscillator and a graph of your resonance curve for the forced damped harmonic oscillator. Your data table should include for each of the three damping values you observed: magnetic damper-aluminum plate separation Your estimate for the value of gamma Your estimate for omega_D Your estimate for omega_o Your graph of the resonance curve should be well labeled, and clearly show the place that you estimate omega_r to be. Bonus points for estimating omega_r from theoretical grounds or for calculating Q from your data. 10.8	Nov. 29