Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics
Vol.04 No.05(2016), Article ID:66916,28 pages
10.4236/jamp.2016.45103
A New Formulation of Classical Mechanics―Part 2
Federico Petrovich
Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Copyright © 2016 by author and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/


Received 18 March 2016; accepted 27 May 2016; published 30 May 2016
ABSTRACT
In the first part of this paper, we found a more convenient algorithm for solving the equation of motion of a system of n bodies. This algorithm consists in solving first the trajectory equation and then the temporal equation. In this occasion, we will introduce a new way to solve the temporal equation by curving the horizontal axis (the time axis). In this way, we will be able to see the period of some periodic systems as the length of a certain curve and this will allow us to approximate the period in a different way. We will also be able to solve some problems like the pendulum one without using elliptic integrals. Finally, we will solve Kepler’s problem using all the formalism.
Keywords:
Classical Mechanics, Pendulum, Kepler’s Problem

1. Introduction
We shall use the following notation given at the first part [1] .
///
Notation: Along this paper, we shall consider the variables t and
. The derivatives respect to the variable t will be denoted by the symbol “・” while the derivatives respect the variable
will be denoted by the symbol apostrophe “'”. In addition, if
we will denote:
・ 
・ 
・ 
・ 
・ 
///
In the first part of this paper, we study the problem of n bodies interacting in a certain medium, which we will assume that it is the vacuum in this part (since the general case is analogous), whose equation of motion (in the vacuum case) is given by
(1)
where
and
are the mass and the component j of the position of the i-body respectively while
is the force applied to the i-body.
We saw that if
is such that
with
(2)
then Equation (1) (without the initial conditions) is equivalent to

where



At the same time, we saw that Equation (3) and the initial conditions (and hence Equation (1)) are equivalent to




where h can be any function, i, j, l and m are arbitrary indexes satisfying



We also proved that if 








On the other hand, we call temporal equation to Equation (2), since it determines the relationship between t and


where E is the energy.
Based on these results, we develop the following algorithm for solving Equation (1):
1) Find a solution 
2) Choose conveniently a function 




3) Find the function u given in Equation (10) (or (13)).
4) Solve the temporal equation.
Finally, 
We saw that if we want to solve the equation of motion, it is more convenient to follow this algorithm.
In this occasion, we will change the last step of this algorithm, i.e., we will find a new way to solve the temporal equation, by curving the horizontal axis (the time axis). In this way we will be able to solve some problems that cannot be solved in the traditional way (without using elliptic integrals) like the pendulum problem. We will also be able to see the period of some periodic systems as the length of a curve. This fact can be compared with the Hamilton-Lagrange’s formalism, where we can see the period of some systems as the area of a surface given by the phase space [2] .
First, we will use the arc length function and its inverse in order to introduce a new way to graph functions by curving the axes. Then, we will use these results in order to complete the algorithm and to graph each component of the solution of Equation (1) in this way. Finally, we will solve the harmonic oscillator, the pendulum, the particle under the action of two elastic springs [3] and Kepler’s problems using all the formalism.
2. A New Way to Graph Functions by Curving the Axes
In this section we will use the arc length function and its inverse in order to introduce a new way to graph functions by curving the axes. Before doing this, we will introduce the notation that will be used and we will give some definitions.
///
Notation and preliminaries: let C be a curve in the plane given by a parametrization 

・ We will denote by 





・ We will assume that 

・ If 





Definition 1: let C be a curve in the plane describing the graph of a function depending of x and given by a parametrization






In a similar way, if C describes the graph of a function depending of y, we define the function 
Definition 2: let C be a curve in the plane given by a parametrization






In a similar way, we define the function 
///
Before proceeding to the new way to graph functions, we will discuss some points about these functions.
On the one hand, note that all these functions are uniquely determined by the curve C described implicitly by



On the other hand, if C describes the graph of a function 
Figure 1. In this case 
Figure 2. In this case 
Figure 3. In this case 
easily proved that 

Figure 4. In this case 
Figure 5. In this case


Figure 6. In this case


Figure 7. In this case


where the sign + corresponds to the orientation given in Figure 1 and the sign − to the orientation given in Figure 2.
In addition, in this case we can see in Definition 2 that 


Figure 8. In this case



where the sign + corresponds to the orientation given in Figure 5 and the sign-to the orientation given in Figure 6.
If C describes the graph of a function 




Next, we will use these functions in order to graph functions by curving the axes.
///
Curvilinear vertical axis: assume we have a differential equation whose solution is given by the function 



This way of making the graph of the function is equivalent to make the graph of the function 



If the curve C is oriented as in Figure 4 the direction of the X-axis changes.
Curvilinear horizontal axes: assume now that we have a differential equation whose solution is given by the function 



This way of making the graph of the function is equivalent to make the graph of the function 



Figure 9. Graph of the function
Figure 10. Graph of the function X by curving the X-axis.
X versus t in a more simple way as shown in Figure 12.
If the curve C is oriented as in Figure 6 the direction of the X-axis changes.
If C is not the graph of a function the idea is the same. For example if C is a closed curve and it is positively oriented, the graph of X versus t is shown in Figure 13. In this case we need to say how many times the parametrization of the curve “turns”. If it turns indefinitely, then 
///
Next, we will complete the algorithm for solving the equation of motion by using these results. We will only
Figure 11. Graph of the function
Figure 12. Graph of the function X by curving the t-axis.
use the 
3. A New Way to Solve the Temporal Equation
In the first part of this paper we find a more convenient algorithm for solving the equation of motion of a system of n bodies. In this section we will use the 
Before doing that, we will need the following mathematical notion.
///
Definition 3: let 


Figure 13. Graph of the function X when the t-axis is a closed curve.
Note 1: in order an element x belongs to 
in order the term which appears under the radical be no negative.
Note 2: if we do not choose the element 


Note 3: although



Proposition 1: let 


Let also 

where 
Then, if u does not change the sign in the interval



・ If u is positive, then C is oriented as in Figure 5.
・ If u is negative, then C is oriented as in Figure 6.
Proof: by Equation (17) we have
It follows that
where the sign is + provided 

Then, according to Equation (15) we have that 


///
By Proposition 1, we will complete the algorithm for solving the equation of motion.
We will assume that the initial time

1) Find a solution 
2) Choose conveniently a function 




3) Find the function u given in Equation (10) (or (13)).
4) Find a function y that satisfies Equation (17).
Finally, 


・ If 
・ If 
where 
In this way, we can graph each component of 
Note that we have only changed the step four. However, there is also a big difference in the step two.
In the step two of the old algorithm, the statement “choose conveniently a function

This implies that
Hence we arrive to
Then, we can see that choosing 
simple change of variables in the temporal equation. This implies that if the solution of 

In the step two of the new algorithm, the statement “choose conveniently a function
choose 





Finally, suppose that there is just one body and it moves in only one direction 



1) Choose conveniently a function 


2) Find the function u given in Equation (10) (or (13)).
3) Find a function y that satisfies Equation (17).
As before, the statement “choose conveniently a function 


Finally, suppose that the universe is only composed of the n bodies. Then, it would be impossible to tell if the bodies move according to 

Hence, we can say that the master equation is a generalization of Newton’s second law which includes the possibility that the time curves. We can also say that we do not know if Newton’s second law is all right since we do not know if the time curves or does not.
Next we will see four examples. The first three examples will be one dimensional problems and then we will use this last algorithm.
4. Examples
In this section, we will solve the harmonic oscillator, the pendulum, the particle under the action of two elastic springs [2] and Kepler’s problems. Note that all these problems have periodic solutions (at least for some values of the energy). We will use this formalism in order to approximate the periods. In order to do that we will need the following proposition.
///
Proposition 2: let C be a curve with elliptical shape with semi-axes a and b and let 

where




///
Suppose that 


where 
In other words, 


Hence, if we know a and b, we can approximate the period of the solution using Equation (18) and the error of the approximation is given by Equation (19). If we call 

Since
Figure 14. Graph of the curves C, 


where
In addition, if 

Next we will see some examples and we will use these results in order to approximate the period of the solution. In all the examples we will consider just one body and we will denote by 

4.1. Harmonic Oscillator
The force and the potential in this case are given by

where k is the elastic constant.
Before proceeding, we will call

We propose as a solution the following one

where v is given by

with E the mechanical energy.
We will choose

Then, the solution satisfies 


In order to find u, according to Equations (5), (23), (24), (25) and (26) we have


In addition, according to Equations (11) and (25),
Since v is positive, then

Finally, by Equations (13), (28), (29) and (30) the function u is given by

Then, the second step of the algorithm is complete.
In order to find y, according to Equation (31) we have
Then, by making the change of variable
and choosing conveniently the value of
Without being quite formal, it follows that the curve C is given by

Hence, the third step is complete.
Finally, 



Since C is a closed curve and we are considering that 
in Figure 13. The solution is periodic and in this case, since the curve is a circumference of ratio

In addition, according to Equations (22), (24), (25) and (26) the amplitude is given by
We can find the period and the amplitude in the traditional way and we obtain the same results.
4.2. The Pendulum
We will call 

where l is the length of the rope.
Then, the equation of motion can be written as Equation (1) where the force is given by
and g is the gravity.
We will choose conveniently the potential as follows

Before proceeding, using this equation and the fact that the kinetic energy is positive, note that

In addition, we will define conveniently


We propose the solution of Equation (25) and we will take 

By condition (36) we can see that v is well defined.
As in the harmonic oscillator example, the solution satisfies 

In order to find u, according to Equations (5), (25), (35) and (39) we have


In addition, in a similar way we can prove Equation (32).
Finally, according to Equations (13), (32), (40) and (41) the function u is given by

Then, the second step of the algorithm is complete.
In order to find y, according to Equation (42) we have
Then, by making the change of variable
and choosing conveniently the value of
Without being quite formal, it follows that the curve C is given by
According to Equation (39) we can also write C as follows

Hence, the third step is complete.
Finally, 



If


It is easily proved that 
Since C is a closed curve and we are considering that 

The relative error is given by Equation (20) where in this case

We will study the limit cases, i.e., when 

The first case corresponds to small oscillations and according to Equation (38)

Equations (44) and (45) we have that 


In the second case we have that 
Since 
Taking into account that in the previous case 


Finally, we can also find the amplitude and according to Equations (22), (25), (39) and (44) it is given by
We can find the amplitude in the traditional way and see that we arrive to the same result.
If 
If we graph X versus t as in Figure 12 and we assume that the initial velocity is positive we can see that the solution is increasing and since the curve has vertical asymptotes in
However, it never reaches that value.
If 


In this case, if we graph X versus t as in Figure 12 and we assume that the initial velocity is positive, we can see that X increases indefinitely and hence according to Equation (34) 
Figure 15. Graph of the curve C for
Figure 16. Graph of the curve C for
describes a rotating circular motion. The time 
the curve from 

As in Proposition 2, we can obtain lower bounds and upper bounds for this length and approximate 

it is easily proved that 
with a and b given by Equations (48) and (49).
4.3. Particle under the Action of Two Elastic Springs
The force and the potential in this case, considering small oscillations, are given by [2]

where k is the elastic constant and 
We propose as a solution

where


with 
We will choose

Then, the solution satisfies 


In order to find u, according to Equations (5), (50), (51), (52) and (53) we have


In addition, according to Equations (11) and (51),
Since A, 

Finally, according to Equations (13), (30), (55) and (56) the function u is given by

Then, the second step of the algorithm is complete.
In order to find y, according to Equation (57) we have
Then, by making the change of variable
and choosing conveniently the value of
Without being quite formal, it follows that the curve C is given by
Using well known properties of the trigonometric and the hyperbolic functions we can write this equation as follows

Hence, the third step is complete.
Finally, 



It is proved that C is a closed curve with elliptical shape. The semi-axes a and b are given by


In this case 
Since C is a closed curve and we are considering that 

The relative error, according to Equation (20) and taking into account that
is given by
Note that if 





By means of the procedure indicated before, it is easily proved that A is the amplitude.
4.4. Kepler’s Problem
The force and the potential in this case are given by


where


We will assume that the initial conditions are given by

where 

In addition, we will choose
Then, since 




where according to Equations (4), (6) and (62)



We propose the following solution

where


We have
Let

then we arrive to
In order to solve the integrals given in Equation (67) and (68), we will ask that this expression is a perfect square. It happens if and only if

where we assume that

In this case we obtain
We will assume that

and hence we finally arrive to

On the other hand, according to Equation (69) we have

Then, by Equation (69) it follows that
We can write these expressions using Equation (70) as follows


Hence, by Equations (73), (75) and (76), we finally obtain that Equations (67) and (68) becomes


Let


where we made the change of variables 
We can write Equations (77) and (78) as follows


On the other hand, by Equations (5) and (74) we have
Using Equation (70) we arrive to


Finally, by Equations (81), (82), (83) and (84) we can turn Equation (65) into an algebraic equation as follows
This equation can be written as

In order to satisfy this equality for all

Then, Equation (85) becomes
This equation depends only on 


In order to satisfy

By Equation (74), the other initial condition 

where 
Finally, the trajectory equation is satisfied if and only if Equations (71), (86) and (87) hold, provided that 







where l is the angular momentum (which is known that is constant).
However, this solution holds only if
By this condition, we can obtain the minimum value of 

If 



Next we will choose 




In the first case, according to Equations (89) and (90), 






Using this result, and taking into account that 

In the second case, according to Equations (89), (90) and (91), 




Using these results it is proved that condition (72) is satisfied.
Finally, using that
the solution of the trajectory equation is given by

where



It is worthwhile to point out that we choose 

If




We can see in Equation (93) that 
Hence, conditions (8) and (9) are satisfied and then the first step of the algorithm is complete.
We will just choose 
In order to find u, on the one hand, according to Equations (63) and (73) we have
By Equation (89) this expression turns out to be

On the other hand, according to Equations (83) and (84) we obtain
According to Equation (71) we arrive to

Finally, according to Equations (13), (95) and (96) we have
Using Equations (89) and (91) we can write this expression as follows

We will choose 
Note that 





where 

Finally, Equation (97) turns out to be

On the other hand, using Equation (88) and the fact that 
In addition, by Equations (94) and (98) it is easily proved that
which implies

Finally, by Equations (100) and (101) and using condition (72) we obtain
However, according to Equation (89)
and then we just can write
Using Equations (70), (89) and (91) this equation can be written as follows

where 

and 
Note that since 


Finally we complete the third step.
In this case we will not find the function y since it is not easy to find a function 

It is easily proved that the solution is given by
By Equation (98) we can write the solution depending the case as follows

where 
Finally, 


Finally, we will obtain Kepler’s third law which says that the square of the orbital period is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis.
In Equation (93) we can see that if


Using Equations (89) and (99) we finally arrive to
and then we proved Kepler’s third law.
5. Conclusion
We used the arc length function and its inverse in order to introduce a new way to graph functions by curving the axes as shown in Figure 10 and Figure 12. Using this, we found a more conveniently method to solve the temporal equation and then we changed the fourth step of the algorithm given in the first part in order to graph each component of the solution of Equation (1) as given in the mentioned figures. Following this algorithm, we solved the harmonic oscillator, the pendulum, the particle under the action of two elastic springs and Kepler’s problems. We were able to solve the pendulum and the particle under the action of two elastic springs problems without using elliptical integrals and to see the periods of both problems as the length of a curve given in Equations (43) and (58) respectively. Then, using this fact, we approximate the periods of both problems in Equations (46) and (61) with a relative error less than 0.17. Finally, in Kepler’s problem, we solved the trajectory equation and we proved that the solution describes an ellipse with focus in the origin (for some values of the energy). We could obtain the semi-major and semi-minor axes, the center of the ellipse and the orbital period by using this formalism.
Cite this paper
Federico Petrovich, (2016) A New Formulation of Classical Mechanics—Part 2. Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics,04,939-966. doi: 10.4236/jamp.2016.45103
References
- 1. Petrovich, F. (2016) A New Formulation of Classical Mechanics—Part 1. Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics, 4, 412-431.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jamp.2016.42048 - 2. Goldstein, H. (1950) Classical Mechanics. Eddison-Wesley, Reading, MA.
- 3. http://www.sc.ehu.es/sbweb/fisica_//oscilaciones/no_lineales/nolineal/nolineal_1.html























































































