
108 Lagrange’s and Hamilton’s equations
Then, from (2.255) we obtain
N = m sin θ [4
2
˙
r
2
+ (r
2
cos θ + g)
2
]
1/2
(2.260)
The required differential equation of motion is furnished by the r equation of (2.253) with
the expression for N from (2.260) substituted in its right-hand side.
Now suppose that 0 <θ <
π
2
and there are initial conditions r (0) = r
0
,
˙
r(0) = 0. We
desire to find the limits on
2
for incipient motion either outward or inward. The differential
equation for incipient outward motion is
¨
r = r
0
2
sin
2
θ − µr
0
2
sin θ cos θ − µg sin θ − g cos θ>0 (2.261)
or
2
>
g
r
0
cos θ + µ sin θ
sin θ(sin θ − µ cos θ )
, 0 ≤ µ<tan θ (2.262)
The differential equation for incipient inward motion is
¨
r = r
0
2
sin
2
θ + µr
0
2
sin θ cos θ + µg sin θ − g cos θ<0 (2.263)
or
2
<
g
r
0
cos θ − µ sin θ
sin θ(sin θ + µ cos θ )
, 0 ≤ µ<cot θ (2.264)
The limits on µ can be visualized in terms of the cone of friction. For incipient motion
outward, the total reaction force of the tube acting on the particle cannot have a downward
component since it could not be counteracted by either gravity or centrifugal force effects.
Similarly, for incipient inward motion, the reaction force of the tube on the particle cannot
have an outward component since there is no counteracting force available. In both cases,
the symmetry axis of the cone of friction is normal to the tube and passes through the axis
of rotation.
Example 2.11 A particle of mass m is embedded at a distance
1
2
r from the center of a
massless disk of radius r (Fig. 2.10). The disk can roll down a plane inclined at an angle
α = 30
◦
with the horizontal. First, we wish to find the differential equation for the rotation
angle θ, assuming no slipping. Then, for the initial conditions θ(0) = 0,
˙
θ(0) = 0, and
assuming a Coulomb friction coefficient µ =
1
2
, we wish to find the values of the angle θ
at which slipping first begins and then ends.
Let us obtain the differential equation of motion by using Lagrange’s equation in the
form
d
dt
∂T
∂
˙
θ
−
∂T
∂θ
+
∂V
∂θ
= 0 (2.265)
The velocity of the particle as it rotates about the contact point C is
v =
r
2
+
1
2
r
2
+ 2r
1
2
r
cos θ
1
2
˙
θ (2.266)