# Classical mechaincs problem (weird one)

1. Dec 9, 2005

### Ahmes

Hi,
I've been given a homework question I don't even know what it means:
A particle mass m travels in a one dimensional potential $$V=V_0 t g^2 (\alpha r)$$. Find its period.
This is the question exactly as it appears. Now, can t be time??? We haven't even touched time-dependent potentials (it's an undergraduate course).
Also, is $$g^2$$ a function of $$\alpha r$$? and what does $$\alpha r$$ mean? (my guess is distance from the center*constant).

Most of our homework questions are taken (with some variation) from either Goldstein's Mechanics book or the Landau-Lif****z one [COME ON!!!! THE BOOK'S NAME IS LANDAU-LIFSHI&Z (&=T)], but in neither could I locate any question similar to that. Can anyone help?

Last edited: Dec 9, 2005
2. Dec 9, 2005

### Ahmes

Well it appears that "tg" is actually the tangent function - Those idiots (can I say idiots?) used italic script so I was certain they ment 't' and 'g' as variables. Beside no one uses "tg" as tangent in printed/electronic media

3. Dec 9, 2005

### Physics Monkey

So do you still need help?