Example: Falling Stick (Continued)

2.003J/1.053J Dynamics and Control I, Spring 2007

Professor Thomas Peacock

4/11/2007

Lecture 16

Lagrangian Dynamics: Examples

Figure 1: Falling stick. The surface on which the stick rests is frictionless, so
the stick slips. Figure by MIT OCW.
A stick slides with out friction as it falls.
Length: L
Mass: M
C: Center of Mass

Assume uniform mass distribution.

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Example: Falling Stick (Continued)

xc , : Generalized Coordinates

Figure 2: The falling stick is subject to a normal force, N at the point of contact.

Figure by MIT OCW.

Holonomic (constraint forces do no work).

No tangential forces at P.

Normal force is a constraint force.

N does no work.

Kinematics
r c = xc + yc j = xc +
v c = x c +

L
sin j
2

L
cos j
2

Energy
1
1
m|v c |2 + I||2
2
2
1
L2 2
1
2
= m(x c +
cos2 ) + Ic 2
2
4
2

T =

(1)
(2)
(3)

V = mg

L
sin
2

Generalized Forces
xc = 0, = 0. (Professor Sarma uses Q for generalized forces.) Professor
Williams uses .

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Example: Falling Stick (Continued)

Forces: Conservative [gravity] + Nonconservative [normal]. The constraint force

Lagrangian (L)
T V =L
2

L=

1
L 2
1
L
m(x 2c +
cos2 ) + Ic 2 mg sin
2
4
2
2

Equations of Motion
We can derive 1 equation per generalized coordinate
For xc :

L
d L

= xc
dt x c
xc
L
x c

= mx c ,

L
xc

= 0, xc = 0.
d
c = 0
(mx c ) = mx
c mx
dt

For :

d L
L

=
dt

L
L
m
2
=
cos
+ Ic

2
2

L2
L
L
1
= m 2 cos sin mg

2
2
2
= 0

(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)

Substitute (5), (6), and (7) in (4) to obtain (8):

mL2
mL2 2
L
2
cos + Ic +
cos sin + mg cos = 0
4
4
2

(8)

Dierentiating the rst term results in (10). Substituting in (8) and com
bining terms yields the equation of motion for .

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Example: Falling Stick (Continued)

d
dt

mL2
d
cos2 + Ic
dt
4

2
mL
mL2
2

=
cos + Ic +
cos sin
4
2

(9)
(10)

mL2
mL2
mgL
mL2
cos2 + Ic
(cos sin ) 2 +
(cos sin ) 2 +
cos = 0
4
2
4
2
(11)

mgL
mL2
mL2
Ic +
cos2
(cos sin ) 2 +
cos = 0
4
4
2

This equation is nonlinear.

Equation of Motion by Momentum Principles

Forces

Figure 3: Free body diagram of falling stick. Two forces act on the stick, a
normal force, N and a gravitational force, mg. Figure by MIT OCW.
Apply linear momentum principles:

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Example: Falling Stick (Continued)

Here P = mx c + m L2 cos j.

F ext =

d
P
dt

dP
L
L
= mx
c + m( cos 2 sin )
j
dt
2
2
There are no forces in the x-direction, therefore
x
c = 0
In the y-direction:
L
L
N mg = m cos 2 sin
2
2
We need to eliminate N , so use the angular momentum principle.

cext =

d
d
Hc = (Ic )
dt
dt

L
cos = Ic
2
After combining equations (12) and (13) and algebra:
N

(Ic +

(12)

(13)

mL2
L
mL2 2
sin cos + mg cos = 0
cos2 )
4
4
2

Thus, we have derived the same equations of motion. Some comparisons are
given in the Table 1.
Advantages of Lagrange

Disadvantages of Lagrange

Less Algebra
Scalar quantities
No accelerations
No dealing with workless constant forces

No consideration of normal forces

Table 1: Comparison of Newton and Lagrange Methods

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Example: Simple Pendulum

Example: Simple Pendulum

Figure 4: Simple pendulum. The length of the pendulum is l. Figure by MIT

Kinematics
is the generalized coordinate.

Holonomic system (nomral force at P does not move as changes. Does no

work).

Energy
1
m(l )2
2
V = mgl cos
T =

Lagrangian
L =T V =

1
m(l )2 + mgl cos
2

Generalized Forces
= 0 (No Generalized Forces)

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Example: Simple Pendulum

Equations of Motion

= ml2 ,

d L
L

=
dt

d
L
= mgL sin , = 0, dt
= ml2

ml2 + mgL sin = 0

Alternative View
What if we did not realize that gravity is a conservative force?

Figure 5: Moving pendulum. When the pendulum rotates by , the distance

What happens to Lagranges Equations?

Lagrangian
1
m(l )2
2
V =0
1
L = T V = m(l)2
2
No potential forces, because gravity is not conservative for the argument.
T =

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Example: Cart with Pendulum and Spring

Virtual Work and Generalized Forces

= mgl sin

When you displace by the displacement will have a vertical component. It is

in the opposite direction of the force.

Equations of Motion
L

= ml2 ,

= 0, = mgl sin

L
d L

dt

mL2 0 = mgl sin

Same equation.
It does not matter if you recognize a force as being conservative, just do not
account for the same force in both V and .

Example: Cart with Pendulum and Spring

Figure 6: Cart with pendulum and spring. Figure by MIT OCW.

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Example: Cart with Pendulum and Spring

Kinematics
Three generalized coordinates x, , s
Cart:

xm = x
ym = 0
Pendulum:

xm = x + s sin
x m = x + s sin + s cos
ym = s cos
y m = s cos + s sin

Energy
Kinetic Energy (T):
1
1
M x 2 + [(x + s sin + s cos )2 + (s sin s cos )2 ]
2
2
Potential Energy (V):
2 conservative forces - Spring and Gravity
1
V = mgs cos + k(s l)2
2

Generalized Forces in System

x = = s = 0

Lagrangian
L = T V =

1
1
1
(M +m)x 2 + m(s 2 +s2 2 +2x(
s sin +s cos ))+mgs cos k(sl)2
2
2
2

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Example: Cart with Pendulum and Spring

10

Equations of Motion
For Generalized Coordinate x
x:

L
d L

= x
dt x
x
L
= (M + m)x + m(s sin + s cos )
x
L
x

= 0, x = 0

d
[(M + m)x + m(s sin + s cos )] = 0
dt
x (t), s(t), s(t), (t) are all functions of time.
(M + m)
x + ms sin + ms(cos ) + ms cos + ms cos ms(sin ) = 0
For Generalized Coordinate
:

d L
L

=
dt

L
= ms2 + mxs
cos

L
= mx s cos mxs
sin mgs sin , = 0

d
[ms2 + mxs
cos ] mx s cos + mxs
sin + mgs sin = 0
dt
2mss+ms2 +m
xs cos +mx s cos mxs
sin mx s cos +mxs
sin +mgs sin = 0
s + 2s
+x
cos + g sin = 0
For Generalized Coordinate s
ms + mx
sin ms2 mg cos + k(s l) = 0

Cite as: Thomas Peacock and Nicolas Hadjiconstantinou, course materials for 2.003J/1.053J Dynamics and
Control I, Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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