Assignment:
Question 1. Two blocks each of mass M are connected by an extension less, uniform string of length l. One block is placed on a smooth horizontal surface and the other block hangs over the side of the table with the string passing over a frictionless pulley. Describe the motion of the system:
a) when the mass of the string is negligible
b) when the string has mass m
Use lagrangian/Hamiltonian Dynamics to solve this problem.
Question 2. The motion of two bodies interacting only with each other by central forces can be reduced to an equivalent one body problem. Show by explicit calculation that such a reduction is also possible for bodies moving in an external uniform gravitational field.