PHYSICS 321  -  Classical Mechanics I

 

Spring 2010

 

Homework Set #9 (due 4/7/10)

 

 

 

1.            Thornton and Marion, problem 8-6.  (a) Use conservation of momentum and energy. 

(b) Subsequently, get the same answers using the concept of reduced mass.

 

2.            Thornton and Marion, problem 8-9. 

 

3.            Thornton and Marion, problem 8-10.  Hint: Calculate the total energy for the Earth’s orbit both before and after the Sun loses half of its mass.

 

4.            Thornton and Marion, problem 8-17.

 

5.            Thornton and Marion, problem 8-21.

 

6.            Thornton and Marion, problem 8-5.  Hint: First use Newton’s 2nd Law to calculate the period of the circular orbit.  Then consider what happens after the particles are stopped.  Use conservation of energy to give v = r-dot = dr/dt.  Then you need to integrate this to find the time until the particles collide.  After a variable change r = y2, the integral will be of the form of Eq. E.7 in Appendix E.  Good luck!