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JEE Advanced 2026Paper 2
Exam
JEE Advanced
Year
2026
Paper
Paper 2
Subject
Physics
Chapter
Gravitation

JEE Advanced 2026 · Paper 2 · Physics · Gravitation

A particle of mass m , and angular momentum is moving in a circular...

A particle of mass mm, and angular momentum ℓ\ell is moving in a circular orbit of radius r0r_0 under the influence of an attractive force F⃗(r)=−kr2r^\vec{F}(r) = -\dfrac{k}{r^2}\hat{r}. Keeping its angular momentum unchanged, the particle is displaced radially by a small distance δr≪r0\delta r \ll r_0, due to which its radial distance varies periodically. The corresponding time period is:

Options

  1. A2πℓ3mk2\dfrac{2\pi\ell^3}{m k^2}
  2. B2πmk2\pi\sqrt{\dfrac{m}{k}}
  3. C2πℓ33mk2\dfrac{2\pi\ell^3}{3 m k^2}
  4. D2πℓ35mk2\dfrac{2\pi\ell^3}{5 m k^2}

Correct answer

A. 2πℓ3mk2\dfrac{2\pi\ell^3}{m k^2}

Step-by-step solution

The equation of motion for the radial distance rr is given by:

md2rdt2=F(r)+ℓ2mr3=−kr2+ℓ2mr3m \dfrac{d^2r}{dt^2} = F(r) + \dfrac{\ell^2}{mr^3} = -\dfrac{k}{r^2} + \dfrac{\ell^2}{mr^3}

For a circular orbit of radius r0r_0, the radial acceleration is zero:

−kr02+ℓ2mr03=0⇒r0=ℓ2mk-\dfrac{k}{r_0^2} + \dfrac{\ell^2}{mr_0^3} = 0 \Rightarrow r_0 = \dfrac{\ell^2}{mk}

Let the particle be displaced by a small distance xx such that r=r0+xr = r_0 + x. The restoring force is:

md2xdt2=−k(r0+x)2+ℓ2m(r0+x)3m \dfrac{d^2x}{dt^2} = -\dfrac{k}{(r_0+x)^2} + \dfrac{\ell^2}{m(r_0+x)^3}

Using the binomial expansion for x≪r0x \ll r_0:

md2xdt2≈−kr02(1−2xr0)+ℓ2mr03(1−3xr0)m \dfrac{d^2x}{dt^2} \approx -\dfrac{k}{r_0^2}\left(1 - \dfrac{2x}{r_0}\right) + \dfrac{\ell^2}{mr_0^3}\left(1 - \dfrac{3x}{r_0}\right)

Since kr02=ℓ2mr03\dfrac{k}{r_0^2} = \dfrac{\ell^2}{mr_0^3}, the constant terms cancel out:

md2xdt2≈(2kr03−3ℓ2mr04)xm \dfrac{d^2x}{dt^2} \approx \left( \dfrac{2k}{r_0^3} - \dfrac{3\ell^2}{mr_0^4} \right) x

Substituting ℓ2mr04=kr03\dfrac{\ell^2}{mr_0^4} = \dfrac{k}{r_0^3} into the equation:

md2xdt2=(2kr03−3kr03)x=−kr03xm \dfrac{d^2x}{dt^2} = \left( \dfrac{2k}{r_0^3} - \dfrac{3k}{r_0^3} \right) x = -\dfrac{k}{r_0^3} x

This represents simple harmonic motion with angular frequency ω=kmr03\omega = \sqrt{\dfrac{k}{mr_0^3}}.

The time period is T=2πω=2πmr03kT = \dfrac{2\pi}{\omega} = 2\pi \sqrt{\dfrac{mr_0^3}{k}}.

Substituting r0=ℓ2mkr_0 = \dfrac{\ell^2}{mk}:

T=2πmk(ℓ2mk)3=2πmℓ6km3k3=2πℓ3mk2T = 2\pi \sqrt{\dfrac{m}{k} \left( \dfrac{\ell^2}{mk} \right)^3} = 2\pi \sqrt{\dfrac{m \ell^6}{k m^3 k^3}} = \dfrac{2\pi \ell^3}{m k^2}

Answer: 2πℓ3mk2\dfrac{2\pi\ell^3}{m k^2}
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