1

Assignment 2

Q1: A particle moves in a potential of the form

2 2
V (r) = −V0 e−λ r
.

(a) Show that there is a maximum value of the angular momentum, L = Lmax above which there will be no possible
circular orbit of this particle.
(b) Consider, λ = 1, m = 1/2 and V0 = 1 in some unit. Find Lmax . Plot Veff (r) when L = Lmax /2, when L = Lmax ,
and when L = 2Lmax .

Soln:
′
(a) A circular orbit will exist when E = Veff (r0 ), where r0 is when Veff (r0 ) = 0. We have,
2 2
′
Veff (r) = 0 ⇒ L2 = (2mV0 λ2 )r4 e−λ r
.

The right hand side goes to 0 when r → 0 as well as r → ∞. Thus the RHS function must have at least one maximum.
As long as L2 is smaller than the higher maximum, we’ll have a solution. Consider λ2 r2 = y, then the right hand side
function is ∼ y 2 e−y . Taking derivative, we get

∂y (y 2 e−y ) = 0 ⇒ 2y − y 2 = 0 ⇒ y = 2. (1)

Thus, if Lmax is the maximum value of L, for which this has a circular orbit, then

2mV0 8mV0
L2max = 2
× 4 × e−2 = 2 2 .
λ λ e
(b) What is to note is that when L < Lmax , there are two extrimum of Veff (r). One of these will result in a stable

0.3 0.5 0.5

0.2 0.4 0.4
0.1
0.0 0.3 0.3
Veff

Veff

Veff

-0.1 0.2 0.2

-0.2
-0.3 0.1 0.1
-0.4 0.0 0.0
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10

r r r

FIG. 1. Left to right: L = Lmax /2, L = Lmax , L = 2Lmax .

orbit and the other will be an unstable unit.

Q2: Instead of an attractive potential, consider a repulsive potential, where V (r) = α/r, with α > 0.
(a) Sketch the effective potential with r. Is any bound-orbit possible?
(b) Show that, resulting orbit is

1 mα
= 2 (−1 + ϵ cos ϕ) . (2)
r L
You may need to choose your integration constant to arrive at this form.
(c) Sketch the orbit.

Soln:

L2 L2 α
Veff (r) = 2
+ V (r) = 2
+ .
2mr 2mr r
 2

FIG. 2. Left: A plot of effective potential, Right: Hyperbolic orbit.

So, we have,

′ α L2
Veff (r) = − − .
r2 mr3
′
So, Veff (r) can never be zero, so the potential has no minima. Thus, it is not possible to have bound-states for any
energy E. The plot of Veff is shown below. Further, E must be ≥ 0.

The orbit equation is

 2
1 dr 2mE 1 2mV (r)
= − 2− . (3)
r2 dϕ L2 r L2

Using the form of the potential and the variable u = 1/r, we get
 2
du 2mα 2mE
= −u2 − 2
u+ . (4)
dϕ L L2
2EL2
 
 mα 2  mα 2
=− u+ 2 + 1 + . (5)
L L2 mα2

Use the variables

r
mα  mα  2EL2
z =u+ 2 , B= 1+ . (6)
L L2 mα2
Then we have
Z Z
dz
√ = dϕ, (7)
B2 − z2
which gives
r
1 mα mα 2EL2
z = B cos(ϕ + ϕ0 ) ⇒ = − 2 + 2 1+ cos(ϕ + ϕ0 ). (8)
r L L mα2
q
2EL2
Using ϵ = 1+ mα2 > 1, we get,

1 mα
= 2 (−1 + ϵ cos(ϕ + ϕ0 )) . (9)
r L
 3

Writing in Cartesian coordinates, we have, with ϕ0 = 0.

L2
= k = −r + ϵx. (10)
mα
⇒ x2 + y 2 = k 2 + ϵ2 x2 − 2kϵx. (11)
2 2
(x − aϵ) y
⇒ − 2 = 1. (12)
a2 b
√
With a = k/(ϵ2 − 1), b = k/ ϵ2 − 1. This is the same hyperbola as in case of the attractive potential. But, due to
the equation (10), we have only the right hyperbola.

Q3: Consider a particle of charge q and mass m, which we throw at a fixed particle of charge Q with mass much
larger than m. Both q, Q are positive. If the initial velocity of the particle was v0 and the impact parameter (the
minimum distance the particle would go to the fixed charge in the absence of any force between them) was b, then
find the deflection angle.

Soln: Use the figure from above. The problem can be solved in multiple ways. Geometric way: it is easy to show that
the impact parameter is the same as b, as well as in the hyperbola equation (12).

The hyperbola is bounded by asymptotic lines

(x − aϵ) y
=± .
a b
Lets call the distance from the asymptotic line from the origin:
p p
d0 = x2 + y 2 = x2 + (x − aϵ)2 (b/a)2 .

Then
dd0
= 0 ⇒ x + (b/a)2 (x − aϵ) = 0, (13)
dx
with (b/a)2 = ϵ2 − 1. So, the minimum of d0 occurs when (from the above equation),

x + (ϵ2 − 1)(x − aϵ) = 0,

⇒ϵ2 x = aϵ(ϵ2 − 1) = kϵ,
⇒x ≡ x0 = k/ϵ.

We also note that at the minimum of d0 , Eq. (13) is also satisfied. Thus,
√
q
d0min = x20 − x0 (x0 − aϵ) = x0 aϵ = b.

So, this small exercise shows that this distance is also nothing but b, the impact parameter.

Now, at y = 0 in the hyperbola, from Eq. (12), x = x1 = a(1 + ϵ). On the otherhand, for the asymptotic lines, for
y = 0, x = x2 = aϵ. Distance between the two is: x2 − x1 = a. On the otherhand, at x = x1 , the asymptotic line
equation gives, y = ±b. These are all marked in the Figure.

Then the deflection angle is

r !
−1 −1
p 2EL2
ϕd = π − 2tan (b/a) = π − 2tan ( ϵ2 − 1) = π − 2tan−1 . (14)
mα2

qQ
Now, E = 12 mv02 , L = mv0 b and α = 4πϵ0 , giving us

4πϵ0 v02 b
 
ϕd qQ
cot = ⇒ ϕd = 2tan−1 . (15)
2 qQ 4πϵ0 v02 b
 4
√
Algebraic way: From the fact that when r → ∞, cos ϕ = 1/ϵ, we have, δ = tan−1 ϵ2 − 1 and then we can proceed as
before.

Q4: In the discussion of Bertrand theorem, we wrote the orbit equation as

 2
1 ∗ du 1
m + m∗ u2 + V (u−1 ) = E, (16)
2 dϕ 2

where u = 1/r and m∗ = L2 /m. We √ derived that for closed orbit the potential has to be of the form V (r) = krn /n
with the frequency of oscillation Ω = n + 2 and apsidal angle ϕA = π/Ω. This limits the range of n as: n ≥ −2.
(a) Consider the case −2 ≤ n < 0. In this case bound-states are possible only when E < 0. Change variable to
x2 = u2+n and consider E → 0− to reduce the equation in x to that of a simple harmonic oscillator with some
frequency, ω. But, as x > 0 always, the actual frequency of this half-harmonic oscillator is 2ω. Compare this to Ω to
determine n.
(b) For n > 0, bound-states are possible for any large E. So, let us consider large enough E. The bound-orbit can
be between two values of r, one small r = r1 and one larger r = r2 . For large E, the r1 is very small, and at this
point the energy can be simply written as E ≈ 21 m∗ u21 , where u1 = 1/r1 . For large E, argue that the V (u−1 ) can be
neglected altogether. From the resulting frequency of the harmonic oscillator, determine n.

Soln: This basically follows https://arxiv.org/pdf/1411.7057.pdf.

For n < 0, we first re-write the equation as
 2
1 du 1 k
Eu = un m∗
n
+ m∗ u2+n + . (17)
2 dϕ 2 n

Take, E → 0, s = −n > 0 and x = u1+(n/2) , we have

 2  2
k 1 2 dx 1
= m∗ + m∗ x2 . (18)
s 2 2−s dϕ 2

√ with frequency ω = (2 − s)/2. As the x > 0, the actual frequency is 2ω = 2 − s = 2 + n.

This is a harmonic oscillator
Comparing this with Ω = 2 + n, we have only possible solution as n = −1.

For n > 0, E ≈ 21 m∗ u2max for large E, where umax = 1/r1 is large. Let us write the quantity E0 = 21 m∗ u2max . Further,
let us divide the the orbit equation with E0 and write the new variable x = u/umax . Then the equation is
 2 n/2 !
k m∗

dx 2 −(n+2)/2 −n E
+ x + E x = . (19)
dϕ n 2 E0

With increasing E, the second term in the bracket is comparable to the first term only near x → 0 (goes as E −1/2 ).
But x ≥ 0 anyway, thus, for large E, this term
√ can be neglected altogether. The resulting half-harmonic oscillator
has a frequency Ω = 2. Comparing with Ω = 2 + n, we get n = 2.