5. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} A uniform rod \(A B\), of length \(4 a\) and weight \(W\), is free to rotate in a vertical plane about a fixed smooth horizontal axis which passes through the point \(C\) of the rod, where \(A C = 3 a\). One end of a light inextensible string of length \(L\), where \(L > 10 a\), is attached to the end \(A\) of the rod and passes over a small smooth fixed peg at \(P\) and another small smooth fixed peg at \(Q\). The point \(Q\) lies in the same vertical plane as \(P , A\) and \(B\). The point \(P\) is at a distance \(3 a\) vertically above \(C\) and \(P Q\) is horizontal with \(P Q = 4 a\). A particle of weight \(\frac { 1 } { 2 } W\) is attached to the other end of the string and hangs vertically below \(Q\). The rod is inclined at an angle \(2 \theta\) to the vertical, where \(- \pi < 2 \theta < \pi\), as shown in Figure 1.

1. Show that the potential energy of the system is $$W a ( 3 \cos \theta - \cos 2 \theta ) + \text { constant }$$
2. Find the positions of equilibrium and determine their stability.