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to American Journal of Mathematics
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On Constrained Motion.
BY PETER FIELD.
Introduction.
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22 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.
7~~~~~
FIG. 1.
The projections of these velocities along I and at right angles to I are (v, v1),
* Some special cases have been studied by Painleve and others. A study of the case where the two
particles are constrained to parallel plane curves will appear in one of the forthcoming numbers of the
Zeitschrift filr Mathemcatik und Physik.
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FIELD: On Constratned Motion. 23
length. The angle between v1 and v2 will be called 0. In case the particles
are constrained to curves, Pi and P2 are the radii of curvature of the p
while if the particles are constrained to surfaces, pi and p2 are the radii of c
ature of the plane sections determined by the velocity and the normal to the
v2; but qp and c2, also shown in the figure, are independent of the precedi
parameters. We therefore have the following thirteen independent param-
eters: 1, M2, Y19 i2 , 1 V, V1, V2, V2P, cp2, 0, pl Y P2. The tension in the r
called T.
direction of u,, and T (1-cos2 cp,-cos2 01)I along a line perpendicular to ul and
pl (Fig. 2).
FIG. 2.
I- V? V +T cos P1i I,
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24 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.
The acceleration of mn2 is directed along P1P2 and is equal to- ' Now
as the distance between tho two particles is constant, the projections of their
accelerations along P1P2 differ by
21
c) = 2v1v2
_ COSI 0
,
a being the angular velocity of I and consequently equal to the geometric sum
of v1 andd-v2 divided by 1.
?V A 7'
FIG. 3.
vI + V2 2vv cos 0 T
v2?i4-2v12cs0 2
f or + 2 2v1V2 COS 0 and 1u. It can then be
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FIELD: On Constrained Motion. 25
are represented by points on a broken line which will lie above or below the T
axis according as 01 is acute or obtuse. The values of T at the points C and D
satisfy the conditions of our problem. If the data were so chosen that A co-
incided with B and the slopes of yi and one segment of the broken
equal, we should have an infinite number of solutions. If 01 is acute and A
lies to the left of B, there will be but one solution if the slope of the line Yi is
greater than the slope of the broken line; while if A lies to the right of B and
the slope of Yi is less than the slope of the broken line, our equation has no
solution. The problem may therefore have 0, 1, 2, or an infinite number of
solutions depending on how the data are chosen.
against the curve is now the geometric sum of -in1 P and the projection of T
on the normal plane to the curve at P1. This pressure (Fig. 2) is equal to
2 ~~~~u4
T2 sin2 01-2Tm1- COS 1? + m12 I
Therefore
T Cos l +-+k2 cos p-k2 cos 0142 2sin2 0 -2T k2 cos p,p+k'
as the condition which T' must satisfy.
The possible number of solutions is the same as in case (a) ; i. e., it may
be 0, 1, 2, or an infinite number. Instead of having the points of intersection
4
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26 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.
of a straight line and a broken line as in Fig. 3, we now have a straight line
and an arc of an hyperbola. In order to have an infinite number of solutions
it is necessary that the hyperbola degenerate. In that case cos q,= ? sin
which means that the radius of curvature lies in the plane of the connecting
rod and the direction of the velocity of in. This condition alone is of course
not sufficient to give an infinite number of solutions. In addition two condi-
tions corresponding to those of case (a) must be satisfied.
There is no difficulty in satisfying these conditions. For instance take
cos pN= sin 01 and suppose 01 acute. The other two conditions are
m k 2_ k2- k2 sin 0
sin 01 cos2 01 1
m%1 qin2
cos2 0 c .+
1 Il cosI01 sin 01
m1 m2 m
FIG. 4.
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FIELD: On Constrained Motion. 27
m i osn 2n
or Y=Yl Y2* It is no restriction to suppose the angles 01 and 02 acute. The
values of
T h and k2 being positive, we add the further restrictions that 0l, 02, qh are a
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28 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.
Sin2 (P T 72
T + k' cos p cos 01 C cos +1Vk
FIG. 5.
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FIELD: On Constrained Motion. 29
trated in Fig. 6. The values of T which satisfy our problem are found as the
values of T at the points where the curve Y1 _Y2 is cut by the line
2-~~~~~
FIG. 6.
By making use of the results already derived we have at once the equa-
tion for T; viz.,
IT2 T
-2cos O2 \fi;s12 02+2
or Y - Y1Y2*
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30 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.
Although the case where the connecting rod is elastic does not come with-
in the scope of this' paper, as we are dealing with a rigid system, it may be
worth mentioninag that it is at once apparent that when the rod is supposed
elastic, the stress can have but one value, which is determined by the strain, and
consequently the accelerations at P1 and P2 have but a single value.
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