Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems · Problem 6-16

Hamilton's Principle—Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Dynamics — Marion & Thornton

Physics — Mechanics · geodesic-surface-arc-length

Problem

(a) What curve on the surface

z = x^{3/2}

joining the points

(x, y, z) = (0, 0, 0)

and

(1, 1, 1)

has the shortest arc length? (b) Use a computer to produce a plot showing the surface and the shortest curve on a single plot.