Ordinary Differential Equations: Differential Equation. in This Chapter We Shall Consider Methods of Solving Ordinary
Ordinary Differential Equations: Differential Equation. in This Chapter We Shall Consider Methods of Solving Ordinary
Ordinary Differential Equations: Differential Equation. in This Chapter We Shall Consider Methods of Solving Ordinary
1. INTRODUCTION
A great many applied problems involve rates, that is, derivatives. An equation
containing derivatives is called a differential equation. If it contains partial derivatives,
it is called a partial differential equation; otherwise it is called an ordinary
differential equation. In this chapter we shall consider methods of solving ordinary
differential equations which occur frequently in applications. Let us look at a few
examples.
Newton’s second law in vector form is F = ma. If we write the acceleration as
dv/dt, where v is the velocity, or as d2r/dt2, where r is the displacement, we have
a differential equation (or a set of differential equations, one for each component).
Thus any mechanics problem in which we want to describe the motion of a body
(automobile, electron, or satellite) under the action of a given force, involves the
solution of a differential equation or a set of differential equations.
The rate at which heat Q escapes through a window or from a hot water pipe is
proportional to the area A and to the rate of change of temperature with distance
in the direction of flow of heat. Thus we have
(1.1) dQ
dt
= kA
dT
dx
(k is called the thermal conductivity and depends on the material through which the
heat is flowing). Here we have two different derivatives in the differential equation.
In such a problem we might know either dT/dx or dQ/dt and solve the differential
equation to find either T as a function of x, or Q as a
function of t. (See Problems 2.23 to 2.25.)
Figure 1.1
Consider a simple series circuit (Figure 1.1) containing
a resistance R, a capacitance C, an inductance L,
and a source of emf V . If the current flowing around the
circuit at time t is I(t) and the charge on the capacitor
is q(t), then I = dq/dt. The voltage across R is RI,
the voltage across C is q/C, and the voltage across L is
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