Homework Statement
A simple pendulum with mass m and length ℓ is suspended from a point which moves
horizontally with constant acceleration a
> Show that the lagrangian for the system can be written, in terms of the angle θ,
L(θ, θ, t˙ ) = m/2(ℓ^2θ˙^2 + a^2t^2 − 2aℓtθ˙ cosθ) + mgℓ cos θ
>...
Part two of the question asks me to find the Euler-Lagrange Equation of motion of the mass. I'll just put up my answer here and if one of you could please tell me if I'm right or off the mark, I'd be grateful. Once again, thanks for all the help so far.
mqdoubledot + mgSinat - ma^2q = 0
Thank you very much! Thanks to the hint, I was able to get somewhere during my break at work today.
So, I think I've worked out that the 1/2(mqdot^2) is the kinetic energy from the ball moving along the surface and the 1/2(ma^2q^2) is from the ball being moved upwards as the slope rises.
Since...
First off, apologies if this is in the wrong forum, if my notation is terrible, or any other signs of noobishness. I just started university and I'm having a hard time with my first Lagrange problems. Help would be very much appreciated.
1. Homework Statement
A body of mass m is lying on a...