Is there a mistake in the second equation of (5.139)?

In summary, there is a mistake in the second equation of (5.139) as the equation is obtained from (5.138) using the Euler-Lagrange equation and there is a missing term that needs to be differentiated. The correct equation is ##r\ddot{\theta}+\dot{x}\sin\theta\dot{\theta}-\dot{x}\dot{\theta}\cos\theta-g\sin\theta=0##.
  • #1
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I believe there is a mistake in the second equation of (5.139).

Screen Shot 2016-08-05 at 2.39.45 am.png


The equation is obtained from (5.138) using the Euler-Lagrange equation
##\frac{d}{dt}\frac{\partial L}{\partial\dot{\theta}}=\frac{\partial L}{\partial\theta}.##

LHS##\,\,=\frac{d}{dt}\frac{\partial L}{\partial\dot{\theta}}=\frac{d}{dt}(mr^2\dot{\theta}-mr\dot{x}\cos\theta)##
##=mr^2\ddot{\theta}-mr\dot{x}(-\sin\theta)\dot{\theta}-mr\ddot{x}\cos\theta\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,## (Note that ##\dot{r}## terms are ignored.)

RHS##\,\,=mgr\sin\theta##

Equating LHS and RHS, and dividing by ##m## and ##r##, we have
##r\ddot{\theta}+\dot{x}\sin\theta\dot{\theta}-\ddot{x}\cos\theta=g\sin\theta##.

Am I right?
 
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  • #2
There's a ##\theta##-dependent term that you have forgotten to differentiate inside the parentheses.
 
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Related to Is there a mistake in the second equation of (5.139)?

1. What is partial differentiation?

Partial differentiation is a mathematical concept used to calculate the rate of change of a function with respect to one of its variables, while holding all other variables constant. It is used in multivariate calculus and is particularly useful in studying the behavior of complex systems.

2. Why is partial differentiation important?

Partial differentiation is important because it allows us to analyze the behavior of a function in relation to specific variables, rather than considering all variables at once. This is especially useful in fields such as physics and economics, where there are often multiple factors affecting a given system.

3. How is partial differentiation different from regular differentiation?

Regular differentiation, also known as total differentiation, involves finding the rate of change of a function with respect to a single variable. Partial differentiation, on the other hand, involves finding the rate of change of a function with respect to one variable while holding all other variables constant.

4. What is the notation used for partial differentiation?

The notation used for partial differentiation is similar to that used for regular differentiation, but with a slight difference. Instead of using the symbol "d" for differentiation, we use the symbol "∂" (pronounced "partial"). For example, if we have a function f(x,y), the partial derivative of f with respect to x would be written as ∂f/∂x.

5. How is partial differentiation used in real-world applications?

Partial differentiation has numerous applications in fields such as physics, economics, and engineering. It is used to analyze the behavior of systems with multiple variables, such as in thermodynamics, where temperature, pressure, and volume are all related. It is also used in optimization problems, where we want to find the maximum or minimum value of a function with respect to certain variables.

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