MATH 317 T2 SOLUTIONS TO MIDTERM #1

1.

| r ′′(t ) × r ′(t ) |
As shown in class, the curvature κ (t ) = . In this question
| r ′(t ) | 3
r (t ) = f (t )i + g (t ) j ⇒ r ′(t ) = f ′(t )i + g ′(t ) j, r ′′(t ) = f ′′(t )i + g ′′(t ) j. Hence
. | r ′′(t ) × r ′(t ) |=| f ′′(t ) g ′(t ) − g ′′(t ) f ′(t ) | and . | r ′(t ) |= [ f ′(t )]2 + [ g ′(t )]2 . In turn this
yields the given answer.

2.

(a) The velocity is given by v (t ) = r ′(t ) = e t i − e −t j + 2k , the acceleration by

a(t ) = v ′(t ) = r ′′(t ) = e t i + e − t j.
r ′(t ) e t i − e − t j + 2k
(b) The unit tangent vector to the path is given by T = = .
| r ′(t ) | e 2t + e − 2 t + 2
(c) The length of the path is given by
1 1 1 1

∫ | r ′(t ) | dt = ∫ e + e + 2 dt = ∫ (e + e ) dt = ∫ (e + e ) dt = e − e .
2t − 2t t −t 2 t −t −1

0 0 0 0

| r ′′(t ) × r ′(t ) |
(d) The curvature of the path at time t is given by κ (t ) = . Here
| r ′(t ) | 3
r ′′(t ) × r ′(t ) = −2k − 2e t j + 2e − t i
⇒| r ′′(t ) × r ′(t ) |= 4 + 2e 2t + 2e − 2t = 2 (e t + e −t ).
2
Then | r ′(t ) |3 = (e t + e − t ) 3 . Consequently, κ (t ) = .
(e + e − t ) 2
t

2
(e) As t → ∞, lim κ (t ) = lim 2t
= 0. Hence the path tends to a straight line.
t →∞ t →∞ e

3.
d
(a) (r (t ) × r ′(t )) = [r ′(t ) × r ′(t )] + [r (t ) × r ′′(t )] = r (t ) × r ′′(t ).
dt
(b) A particle sweeps out equal areas in equal times means that the rate change of the
area A(t) swept out by the particle’s path is constant in time. This should be
illustrated by an appropriate diagram. Note that this does not necessarily mean that
the path is elliptical or even part of a conic section or even part of a closed orbit!
d
Equal areas are swept out in equal times if and only if | r (t ) × r ′(t ) |= 0.
dt
(c) If F ( x, y, z ) = f ( x, y, z )r for some function f ( x, y, z ) , then
 d f ( x, y, z )
r (t ) × r ′′(t ) =(r (t ) × r ′(t )) = [r (t ) × r (t )] = 0. Hence r (t ) × r ′(t ) = c is a
dt m
constant vector. Then r (t ) ⋅ c = r (t ) ⋅ [r (t ) × r ′(t )] = r ′(t ) ⋅ [r (t ) × r (t )] = 0 ⇒ motion of
the particle is planar. Since r (t ) × r ′(t ) = c, one has | r (t ) × r ′(t ) |=| c |= const. Hence
the particle sweeps out equal areas in equal times. Again, this does not necessarily
mean that the path is elliptical or even part of a conic section! [In the case when the
force satisfying this criterion satisfies an inverse square law, the path must be
elliptical, parabolic or hyperbolic depending on the initial energy as shown in class;
if the force satisfying this criterion does not satisfy an inverse square law as in the
case of Newtonian gravitation or Coulomb’s law, then, in general the path will not
be elliptical, parabolic or hyperbolic and yet be planar and sweeping out equal areas
in equal times!]