Question:hard

A projectile of mass \(m\) is launched from the ground with the initial speed \(v_0\) at an angle \(30^{\circ}\) from the horizontal. Take the ground to be horizontal. Ignoring the drag, the magnitude of Hamilton's action \(\int L\,dt\) for the particle from the beginning till it hits the ground is \(f \times \left(\dfrac{mv_0^{3}}{g}\right)\). The value of \(f\) (rounded off to two decimal places) is .

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Hint:
Write \(L=T-U\) using the standard projectile \(x(t), y(t)\), and integrate over the whole flight time \(T_f = 2v_0\sin\theta/g\); the closed form comes out to \(S=\dfrac{mv_0^3\sin(3\theta)}{3g}\).
Updated On: Jul 28, 2026
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Correct Answer: 0.33

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Rewrite $y$ using a kinematic relation, avoiding time altogether.
For vertical motion under constant gravity, $v_y^2 = v_{0y}^2 - 2gy$ (with $v_{0y}=v_0\sin\theta$) lets us write $y$ directly in terms of $v_y$ instead of $t$:
\[ y = \dfrac{(v_0\sin\theta)^2 - v_y^2}{2g} \]
So the Lagrangian $L = \dfrac{1}{2}m(v_x^2+v_y^2) - mgy$ can be written purely in terms of $v_y$ (since $v_x=v_0\cos\theta$ is constant), without writing $y$ or $L$ as an explicit function of $t$.

Step 2: Simplify $L$.
Substituting $y$ from Step 1:
\[ L = \dfrac{1}{2}mv_0^2\cos^2\theta + \dfrac{1}{2}mv_y^2 - \dfrac{m}{2}\big[(v_0\sin\theta)^2 - v_y^2\big] = \dfrac{1}{2}mv_0^2\cos(2\theta) + mv_y^2 \]

Step 3: Integrate by switching the integration variable from $t$ to $v_y$.
Since $v_y = v_0\sin\theta - gt$, $dt = -dv_y/g$; as $t$ runs from $0$ to $T_f$, $v_y$ runs from $v_0\sin\theta$ down to $-v_0\sin\theta$ (the flight is symmetric). The constant piece of $L$ integrates over $T_f = 2v_0\sin\theta/g$:
\[ \int_0^{T_f}\dfrac{1}{2}mv_0^2\cos(2\theta)\,dt = \dfrac{mv_0^3\sin\theta\cos(2\theta)}{g} \]
For the second piece, changing variables:
\[ \int_0^{T_f} mv_y^2\,dt = \dfrac{m}{g}\int_{-v_0\sin\theta}^{v_0\sin\theta} v_y^2\,dv_y = \dfrac{2mv_0^3\sin^3\theta}{3g} \]

Step 4: Add the two pieces and put in $\theta=30^{\circ}$.
\[ S = \dfrac{mv_0^3\sin\theta\cos(2\theta)}{g} + \dfrac{2mv_0^3\sin^3\theta}{3g} \]
At $\theta=30^{\circ}$: $\sin\theta = \dfrac{1}{2}$, $\cos(2\theta)=\cos(60^{\circ})=\dfrac{1}{2}$, $\sin^3\theta = \dfrac{1}{8}$:
\[ S = \dfrac{mv_0^3}{4g} + \dfrac{mv_0^3}{12g} = \dfrac{mv_0^3}{3g} \]

Final Answer:
Comparing with $S=f\times \dfrac{mv_0^3}{g}$ gives $f=\dfrac{1}{3}\approx 0.33$. \[ \boxed{f = 0.33} \]
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