Paper 2, Section I, C

Classical Dynamics
Part II, 2011

Three particles, each of mass mm, move along a straight line. Their positions on the line containing the origin, OO, are x1,x2x_{1}, x_{2} and x3x_{3}. They are subject to forces derived from the potential energy function

V=12mΩ2[(x1x2)2+(x2x3)2+(x3x1)2+x12+x22+x32]V=\frac{1}{2} m \Omega^{2}\left[\left(x_{1}-x_{2}\right)^{2}+\left(x_{2}-x_{3}\right)^{2}+\left(x_{3}-x_{1}\right)^{2}+x_{1}^{2}+x_{2}^{2}+x_{3}^{2}\right]

Obtain Lagrange's equations for the system, and show that the frequency, ω\omega, of a normal mode satisfies

f39f2+24f16=0f^{3}-9 f^{2}+24 f-16=0

where f=(ω2/Ω2)f=\left(\omega^{2} / \Omega^{2}\right). Find a complete set of normal modes for the system, and draw a diagram indicating the nature of the corresponding motions.