MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Department of Physics
8.01
W07D3-3 Energy Diagram Solution

A particle of mass m moves in one dimension. Its potential energy is given by

U(x) = U 0 e x

/a 2

where U0 and a are positive constants. The mechanical energy E of the particle is
constant such that U 0 < E < 0 .
a) Draw an energy diagram showing the potential energy U ( x) , the kinetic energy
K(x ) , and the total energy E .
b) Find the force on the particle, F(x ) , as a function of position x .
c) Find the speed of the particle at the origin x = 0 such that the when the particle
reaches the positions x = a , it will reverse its motion.
Solution:

The x-component of the force is given by

Fx (x) =

2
2
2
2
dU (x)
d
x
=
U 0 e x / a = 2 2 U 0 e x / a .
dx
dx
a

The turning points satisfied the condition

E = U(x = a) = U 0 e a

/a 2

= U 0 e1 .

When the particle is at the origin, the kinetic energy is given by

K((x = 0) = E U(x = 0) = U 0 e1 (U 0 ) = U 0 (1 e1 ) =

Thus the speed of the particle at x = 0 is

v(x = 0) =

2
U 0 (1 e1 ) .
m

1 2
mv (x = 0) .
2