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4. Hamiltonian Formulation
4.1 Hamiltonian of a System
If qi is generalized Coordinate and qi is corresponding generalized velocity and pi is

generalized momentum conjugate to generalized coordinate qi .

And if L(qi , qi , t ) is the Lagrangian of the system then the Hamiltonian of the system is a

function of generalized coordinate generalized momentum and time which is

mathematically defined as H ( pi , qi , t )   pi qi  L(qi , qi , t )
i

L L
where, L is the Lagrangian of the system, and  pi and  p i
qi qi

ks4.2 Hamiltonian Equation of Motion:

 p
i
H
i
dpi 
H
qi
dqi 
dH ( pi , qi , t )   d ( pi qi )  dL(qi , qi , t )

H
t i
i

dt   pi dqi  qii dpi  

L
i qi
dqi 
L
qi
dqi 
L
t
dt
zi
L L
using the relation  pi and  p i and equating the coefficient of dpi , dqi and dt
qi qi
H H H L
one must get  qi ,   p i and 
pi qi t t
These three equations are popularly known as Hamiltonian equation of motion.
fi

Physical meaning of Hamiltonian equation of motion.

H
 qi , this equation is a relationship between generalized momentum and generalized
pi
velocity
H
  p i , this is equivalent to force equation (Newton’s second law)
qi
Thus, if there are n number of generalized coordinate then there are 2n  1 number of
Hamiltonion equation of motion.

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4.2.1 Conservation of Energy

H L L
From   , if Lagarangian L is not an explicit function of time, then  0.
t t t
H
So  0 . So H is constant and identified as total energy  E  of system E  T  V
t
which is constant during the motion.
How to write Hamiltonian if Lagrangian is given
While H must always be expressed as a function of q, p (and possibly t ). It is to
emphasize this difference in functional behavior that different symbols have been given
to the quantities even though they have the same numerical values.

ksNormally, the Hamiltonian for each problem must be constructed via the Lagrangian
formulation. The formal procedure calls for a lengthy sequence of steps:
1. With a chosen set of generalized coordinates, qi , the Lagrangian L  qi , qi , t   T  V
is constructed.

2. The conjugate momenta are defined by

L
 pi as functions of qi , qi , and t
zi
qi
3. Then inverted to obtain qi as function of (qi , pi , t ) .
4. The result of the previous step are then applied to eliminate qi from H , so as to
express it solely as a function of  qi , pi , t  .
fi

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Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498 Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐16
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Examples of Hamiltonian
 mx 2 kx 2   t
Example: If the Lagrangian of a system is given as L     e where x is
 2 2 

generalized coordinate and t is time, then find

(a) Generalized momentum
(b) Hamiltonian of the system
(c) Hamiltonian equation of motion
(d) Discuss conservation of energy.
 mx 2 kx 2   t
Solution: (a) If Lagrangian of the system is given by L     e , then

ksgeneralized momentum is given as

L
x
 2

 t
 px , px  mxe
2 

(b) Hamiltonian of the system is H ( pi , qi , t )   pi qi  L(qi , qi , t )

i

 mx 2 kx 2   t
H ( px , x, t )  px x    e
zi
 2 2 

px
 t ,
We have the relation px  mxe  x . Since the Hamiltonian of the system is a
me t
function of generalized coordinate and generalized momentum, so one can replace the
px
 x , so Hamiltonian of the system is given by
fi
value of x by relation
me t
  px  2 
 m  t  
px   me  kx 2   t p 2 e t kx 2  t
H  p x , x, t   p x  t   e  H  p x , x, t   x  e
me  2 2  2m 2
 
 
(c) The Hamiltonian equation of motion
H H p
 qi   xi  x t  x
pi px me

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Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498 Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐16
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H H
  p i    p x  kxe t   p x
qi x

H L px 2 e  t kx 2  t  mx 2 kx 2   t px
    e      e   t  x
t t 2m 2  2 2  me

L H
(d) 0  0 so total energy is not conserved.
t t

Example: If Lagrangian of the system is L  1  q 2 , find the Hamiltonian of system.

Solution: The Hamiltonian of the system is given by:

H  pq  L  pq  1  q 2

ks L
q
 p

H  p.
1 p
q
1  q

2
p
2

 1
 p2 

p2
1 p 2

q 2
1  q

p2
1 p
2

2
 p 2  p 2 q 2  q 2  q 


1
1 p 2

Example: The Lagrangian of the system is given by L 


p2 1
1 p 2
  1  p2

1
p
1  p2

m(r 2  r 2 2 )  mgr cos 

zi
2
(a) Construct Hamiltonian of the system
(b) Write down Hamiltonian Equation of motion.
(c) Discuss conservation of energy of the system.
fi
Solution:
(a) The generalized coordinate is given by r and 
 r   p  L
So Hamiltonian of the system is given by H (r , pr ,  , p , t )  rp

1
 r   p  m(r 2  r 2 2 )  mgr cos 
H (r , pr , , p , t )  rp
2
Now we must replace r and  by the equation
L p
 pr  pr  mr  r  r
r m
L 2    p
 p  p  mr   

 
mr 2

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Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498 Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐16
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p p
Once we replace r and  by r  r and    2 respectively we get
m mr
p 2r p 2
H   mgr cos 
2m 2mr 2
(b) The Hamiltonian equation of motion is given by
H p H
  p r   3  mg cos   pr and   p  mgr sin    p
r mr 
H p H  p H L H
 r  r  r and       2 and   0
pr m p mr t t t
(Lagrangian is not an explicit function of time)

ks(c)
H
t
 0 so, H is constant of motion and identified as total energy of the system E

Example: What is the expression of Hamiltonian in spherical coordinate system where

V (r ,  ,  ) is an expression of potential in spherical generalized coordinate system.
Solution: The Lagrangian of the system in spherical coordinate system is given by
1
zi
L m(r 2  r 2 2  r 2 sin 2 2 )  V (r , ,  )
2
 r   p   p  L
H (r , pr ,  , p ,  , p , t )  rp

1
 r   p   p  m(r 2  r 2 2  r 2 sin 2 2 )  V (r ,  ,  ) ,
H (r , pr , , p ,  , p , t )  rp
2
fi
we must replace the value of r,,  by relations
L p
 pr  pr  mr so r  r
r m
L 2    p
 p i.e., p  mr  so 

 
mr 2
L

 p i.e., p  mr 2 sin  so p  mr 2 sin 2 

2
p 2r p 2 p
so, H     V (r ,  ,  )
2m 2mr 2
2mr 2 sin 2 

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Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498 Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐16
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How to find Lagrangian of the system if Hamiltonian of the system is given

Lagrangian of a system is function of generalized coordinate qi , generalized velocity qi

and time t as L  L  qi , qi , t 

(1) If Hamiltonian of a system is defined as H (qi , pi , t )   pi qi  L  qi , qi , t  , then the

i

Lagrangian is defined as L  qi , qi , t    pi qi  H  qi , pi , t 

i

H
(2) Now one will find generalized velocity qi 
pi

(3) From expression in step (2) find pi as function of generalized coordinate qi

ksgeneralized velocity qi and time t .

(4) Then the Lagrangian of system will only function of generalized coordinate qi

generalized velocity qi and time t as L  L  qi , qi , t 

Example: If Hamiltonian of the system is given by H 

px2 x
 V  x  , then find the
zi
4
Lagrangian of system.
H px 2 x
Since H  px x  L  L  px x  H and  x  x  px 
px 2 x

px2 x x 2
L  px x  V  x  L  V  x
fi
4 x
p1 p2
Example: If Hamiltonian of the system is given by H   V  q1 , q2  , then find the
2
Lagrangian of system
p1 p2
H  V  q1 , q2 
2
Solution: Since H  p1q1  p2 q2  L  L  p1q1  p2 q2  H

H p
and  q1  q1  2  p2  2q1
p1 2

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Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498 Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐16
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H p
 q2  q2  1  p1  2q2
p2 2
p1 p2
L  p1q1  p2 q2   V  q1 , q2 
2
4q1q2
L  2q1q2  2q1q2   V  q1 , q2 
2
4q1q2
L  2q1q2  2q1q2   V  q1 , q2 
2
L  2q1q2  V  q1 , q2 

ks
zi
fi

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Near IIT, Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐16 28‐B/6, Jia Sarai, Near IIT
Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498 Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐16
Website: [Link]
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