PHYSICS I

WEEK 6

Siddharth Dhomkar
Department of Physics
IIT Madras
[email protected]
Office: HSB 116B
WEET 6: OUTLINE

• Phase space (Thornton-Marion 3.4, 3.5)

• Bounded/Unbounded motion (Thornton-
Marion 4.3, 4.4)

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: POTENTIAL ENERGY

Unstable equilibrium
𝑑2𝑈
𝑘= <0
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑥=𝑥
3

Stable equilibrium (due to the restoring force)

𝑑2𝑈
𝑘= >0
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑥=𝑥3

3
LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear harmonic oscillator

Turning points

𝑑 𝑥ሶ 2
𝑥
= −𝜔0
𝑑𝑥 𝑥ሶ
First-order
differential equation

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 LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear harmonic oscillator

Turning points

• Every E > 0 specifies a particular ellipse. The phase portrait is a

family of such ellipses in the phase plane.
• The initial conditions determine the particular ellipse on which
the system lies, as well as the precise point on it at which the
motion starts.
• The sense or direction in which the ellipse is traversed as time
progresses is not arbitrary – it is clockwise, as indicated by the
arrows.
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 LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear harmonic oscillator

Initial conditions
𝑥 = 0 & 𝑣 = 𝑣0

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 LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear harmonic oscillator

Initial conditions
𝑥 = 0 & 𝑣 = 𝑣0

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear harmonic oscillator

Turning points

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear harmonic oscillator

Turning points

Does not depend on energy!

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear anharmonic oscillator

Non-linear function

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear anharmonic oscillator

Non-linear function

• The phase trajectories are no longer ellipses, but ovals!

• The explicit solution for 𝑥(𝑡) cannot be written in terms of elementary periodic functions like sines
or cosines.

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Linear anharmonic oscillator

Non-linear function

• The phase trajectories are no longer ellipses, but ovals!

• The explicit solution for 𝑥(𝑡) cannot be written in terms of elementary periodic functions like sines
or cosines.
• Nonetheless, the time period corresponding to motion with any total energy E > 0 is easily found.

Depends on
energy!

• Except for simple harmonic motion, the time period for every other kind of periodic motion
depends on the total energy (or, equivalently, on the amplitude of oscillation).
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PHASE TRAJECTORIES: PROPERTIES

• The fixed points (A, B, and C) satisfy 𝐅 𝑥 = 0, and correspond to steady states or
equilibria of the system.
• The closed orbits, (D) correspond to periodic solutions, i.e., solutions for which
𝑥(𝑇 + 𝑡) = 𝑥(𝑡) for all 𝑡, for some 𝑇 > 0.
• The fixed points A, B, and C are unstable, because nearby trajectories tend to move
away from them.
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BOUNDED & UNBOUNDED MOTION
Example: Asymmetric potential Example: Symmetric potential
BOUNDED & UNBOUNDED MOTION
Example: Asymmetric potential Example: Symmetric potential

Stable equilibrium
(attractor)
BOUNDED & UNBOUNDED MOTION
Example: Asymmetric potential Example: Inverted symmetric

Bounded
&
Unbounded
𝑥ሶ

Stable equilibrium
(attractor)

AVS Quantum Sci.4, 024402 (2022)

BOUNDED & UNBOUNDED MOTION
Example: Asymmetric potential Example: Inverted symmetric

Bounded
&
Unbounded
𝑥ሶ

Stable equilibrium
(attractor)

AVS Quantum Sci.4, 024402 (2022)

BOUNDED & UNBOUNDED MOTION
Example: Asymmetric potential Example: Inverted asymmetric

Bounded
&
Unbounded

Stable equilibrium
(attractor)
 REVIEW: D A M P E D O S C I L L AT I O N S
Undamped

Weak Damping

Strong Damping

Critical Damping
LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Underdamped oscillator

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Underdamped oscillator

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Underdamped oscillator

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Underdamped oscillator

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LINEAR 1D SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE
Underdamped oscillator

𝒙ሶ