All Questions
Tagged with physics differential-equations
14 questions
2
votes
0
answers
74
views
Approximate solutions to $x''(t)=-cx + f(t)x$
I recently studied a problem which involved two particles joined by a harmonic spring moving in a potential and through some manipulation, I obtained the equation
$x''(t) = -\omega^2x + f(t)x$,
where $...
- 3,738
32
votes
8
answers
4k
views
Motivation and physical interpretation of the Laplace transform
Concerning the one-sided Laplace transform,
$$\mathcal{L}\{f\}(s) = \int_0^\infty f(t)e^{-st} dt$$
what is a motivation to come up with that formula? I am particularly interested in "physical&...
- 641
1
vote
1
answer
294
views
Temporal evolution of a globally hyperbolic spacetime
Any globally hyperbolic spacetime can be assigned a global function of time as Hawking has demonstrated for stably causal spacetime. (Any globally hyperbolic spacetime is also stably causal).
For ...
- 612
1
vote
0
answers
75
views
Is there an analytic formula (or even a name...) for a plane curve with curvature inversely proportional to x?
I'm interested in plane curves with curvature inversely proportional to distance from the axis:
$$\kappa(t) = \left(\frac{x'(t) y''(t) - y'(t)x''(t)}{(x'(t)^2 + y'(t)^2)^{3/2}} \right) = \frac{1}{a x(...
1
vote
1
answer
63
views
Set of eigenvalues of the boundary problem
I'm looking for the results about the set of eigenvalues of boundary problem for differential equation
\begin{equation}
\bigl(p(x) u'(x; \lambda) \bigr)' + q(x) u(x; \lambda) = -\lambda w(x) u(x; \...
- 19
3
votes
2
answers
447
views
Legendre equation: An interpretation [closed]
I am a student of physics and, especially in quantum mechanics, we are presented with the Legendre equation:
\begin{eqnarray}
(1-x^2)y''-2xy'+l(l+1)y=0.
\end{eqnarray}
Doing some calculations, we ...
1
vote
0
answers
84
views
Diffraction across an absorbing wall
I need help finding the procedure for the solution of the following differential equation.
This is equation is: Find $u:\mathbb{R}^2 \to \mathbb{C}$ such that for $C>0$
$ \begin{cases} u_{xx}+ ...
0
votes
1
answer
261
views
A hyperbolic partial differential equation (wave-like) with variable-dependent coefficient and possibly singular in one variable
First, I beg your pardon since the title of the question is a bit confusing I guess. I'm working on a physical equation of the wave-like form. Explicitly, it reads
$$\left[\left(\cos\phi\partial_{z}+\...
- 245
4
votes
1
answer
738
views
Helmholtz equation Poynting vector integral
The Maxwell's equation for harmonic time dependent field in vacuum is
\begin{align}
\nabla \times B + i\omega E &= 0\\
\nabla \times E - i\omega B &= 0 \\
\nabla \cdot B &= 0 \\
\nabla \...
- 2,239
2
votes
0
answers
192
views
Diffusion equation on mixing of diffusing particles
I am trying to study mixing of diffusing particles like it was done by E. Ben-Naim On the Mixing of Diffusing Particles.
The picture below shows the idea how permutations and inversion numbers reflect ...
4
votes
1
answer
645
views
Path integrals for stochastic equations
Does there exist a rigorous mathematical proof for path integral representations given in the physics literature? See for example
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/9912209v1
For imaginary time rigorous ...
- 31
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Derivation of Bessel functions
I am writing a summary on a work on Fluid Dynamics that develops irrotational flow states that appear to interact amongst each other according to the equations of Electromagnetism http://arxiv.org/abs/...
- 23
15
votes
9
answers
4k
views
Newton equations, second order equation and (im)possible motions
I am am currently studying Newtonian mechanics from a conceptional and axiomatic point of view. Now, if I am not mistaken, one (but surely not all) statement of Newtons second law about nature is, ...
- 1,222
27
votes
11
answers
4k
views
What kind of Lagrangians can we have?
In any physics book I've read the Lagrangian is introuced as as a functional whose critical points govern the dynamics of the system. It is then usually shown that a finite collection of non-...
- 2,641