Hamiltonian, generating function, canonical transformation

In summary, the conversation discusses a harmonic oscillator with generalized coordinates q and p, a transformation (p,q) -> (Q,P), and the Hamiltonian in terms of Q and P. The main idea is to calculate \frac{\partial F_2}{\partial t} and express p and q in terms of P and Q. The final result for K is \frac{P^2}{2m}+\frac{m \omega ^2 Q^2}{2}. The second part of the problem, determining the values of \theta (t) for which K vanishes, remains unsolved.
  • #1
fluidistic
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Homework Statement


Consider a harmonic oscillator with generalized coordinates q and p with a frequency omega and mass m.
Let the transformation (p,q) -> (Q,P) be such that [itex]F_2(q,P,t)=\frac{qP}{\cos \theta }-\frac{m\omega }{2}(q^2+P^2)\tan \theta[/itex].
1)Find [itex]K(Q,P)[/itex] where [itex]\theta[/itex] is a function of time and K is the Hamiltonian in function of Q and P.
2)For which values of [itex]\theta (t)[/itex] does [itex]K(Q,P)[/itex] vanishes?

Homework Equations


[itex]H=\frac{p^2}{2m}+\frac{\omega m }{2}[/itex].
[itex]p=\frac{\partial F_2}{\partial q}, Q=\frac{\partial F_2}{\partial P}[/itex]
[itex]K=H+\frac{\partial F_2}{\partial t}[/itex]

The Attempt at a Solution


I guess the main idea is to calculate [itex]\frac{\partial F_2}{\partial t}[/itex] and express p and q in terms of P and Q.
Playing with the relevant equations I get that [itex]q=Q\cos \theta +m \omega P \sin \theta[/itex], [itex]p=\frac{P}{\cos \theta }-m\omega \tan \theta (Q\cos \theta + m\omega P \sin \theta )[/itex].
Also, [itex]\frac{\partial F_2}{\partial t}=qP\dot \theta \sin \theta - \frac{m\omega }{2}(q^2+P^2)\left ( \frac{\dot \theta }{\sin ^2 \theta } \right ) [/itex].
This gave me [itex]K=\frac{1}{2m} \left [ \frac{P}{\cos \theta }-m\omega (Q\cos \theta+m \omega \sin \theta ) \tan \theta \right ] ^2+\frac{m\omega}{2}(Q\cos \theta + m \omega P \sin \theta )^2+ (Q \cos \theta + m \omega P \sin \theta )P\dot \theta \sin \theta -\frac{m\omega }{2} [(Q\cos \theta + m\omega P \sin \theta)^2+P^2]\left ( \frac{\dot \theta }{\sin ^2 \theta } \right )[/itex].
The new Hamiltonian does indeed depends on the variables it should, but it looks so horrible that I cannot believe I made things right. What am I missing?
 
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  • #2
(The answer should be K=\frac{P^2}{2m}+\frac{m \omega ^2 Q^2}{2}).Also, I have no idea how to tackle the second part of the problem. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
 

What is a Hamiltonian?

A Hamiltonian is a mathematical function used in classical mechanics to describe the total energy of a physical system. It is typically represented by the symbol H and is a function of the system's position and momentum variables.

What is a generating function in the context of Hamiltonian mechanics?

A generating function is a mathematical function that is used to transform the coordinates and momenta of a system from one set of variables to another. It is often used in Hamiltonian mechanics to simplify the equations of motion and make calculations easier.

What is a canonical transformation?

A canonical transformation is a mathematical transformation that preserves the Hamiltonian structure of a physical system. This means that the equations of motion and the conserved quantities (such as energy and momentum) remain unchanged after the transformation.

What are some examples of canonical transformations?

Some examples of canonical transformations include rotations, translations, and changes of coordinate systems. In Hamiltonian mechanics, generating functions can also be used to perform canonical transformations.

How are Hamiltonian, generating function, and canonical transformation related?

Hamiltonian, generating function, and canonical transformation are all concepts used in Hamiltonian mechanics. The Hamiltonian function describes the total energy of a system, the generating function is used to transform coordinates and momenta, and canonical transformations preserve the Hamiltonian structure of a system.

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