Mathematics for Physics II

Check Point Questions 4

The mathematical sciences particularly exhibit order, symmetry, and

limitation; and these are the greatest forms of the beautiful.
Aristotle

4.1 Differentiating vector r

(i) A particle is moving on the xy-plane such that its position vector r is given as
a function of t as

r = κ cos ωtx̂ + λ sin ωtŷ.

a) How far from the origin is the particle at any time t?

b) Find the particle’s velocity and acceleration vectors as functions of time.
c) Find the equation of the path for the particle and describe the shape of the
path.
q
Answers: a) |r| = κ2 + sin2 ωt (λ2 − κ2 ); b) ṙ = −κω sin ωtx̂ + λω cos ωtŷ,
and r̈ = −ω 2 κ cos ωtx̂ − ω 2 λ sin ωtŷ = −ω 2 r;
c) an ellipse centered at origin with a = κ and b = λ.

(ii) The position vector of a particle at time t is given by

√
r = (t + sin t) x̂ + (t − sin t) ŷ + (1 − cos t) 2ẑ.

Show that ṙ = dr/dt and r̈ = d2 r/dt2 have constant magnitudes and are per-
pendicular vectors.

Answers: perpendicular since√ ṙ · r̈ = 0 as required,

|ṙ| = 2 and |r̈| = 2, ie constants as required.

(iii) A wheel of radius a rolling on a flat surface runs over fresh paint. The position
vector of the paint stain on the wheel is given by

r = a (ωt − sin ωt) x̂ + a (1 − cos ωt) ŷ.

The coordinate system is chosen such that at t = 0 the stain is in the origin.
The wheel rotates one revolution in time T , which gives the angular velocity
ω = 2π/T .

(a) Find the velocity vector v for the stain.

(b) Find the speed |v| of the stain. Find also when it is maximal and when it
is minimal.
(c) Find also the distance traveled by the stain when the wheel has rotated
exactly twice.
(d) Sketch a diagram of the system from start to t = T . Draw in the diagram
the path s (T ) of the stain, the displacement vector s (T ) of the stain, and
the velocity vector when the speed of the stain is maximal and when it is
minimal.

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dr
Answers: (a) v = dt
= aω (1 − cos ωt) x̂ + aω sin ωtŷ
q
(b) |v| = aω 2 (1 − cos ωt), and vmin = 0 when cos ωt = 1, and vmax = 2aω
when cos ωt = −1;
(c) s (2T ) = 16a;

(iv)** Show that for motion of a particle in a circle at constant speed the acceleration
is toward the centre of the circle and of magnitude v 2 /r.
Hint: r 2 = r · r = const and v 2 = v · v = const.

Solution: Here we use the information given that the particle moves in a circle
of constant radius and at constant speed. This means that, following
the hint, if we differentiate v 2 and r 2 with respect to time, we get
r · v = 0 and v · a = 0. These two equations mean that r ⊥ v and
v ⊥ a, which in turn means that since the motion is in a plane, r and
a must be either parallel or anti-parallel.
If we then differentiate r · v = 0 with respect to time, we get that
v 2 = −r · a. The dot product r · a = ra cos θ, where θ is either 0 or π.
Since r · a < 0, then θ = π and a = v 2 /r as required.

4.2 Separable First Order Ordinary Differential Equations

(i) Suppose the rate at which bacteria in a culture grow is proportional to the num-
ber present at any time. Write down and solve the differential equation for the
number N of bacteria as a function of time t if there are N0 bacteria when t = 0.

dN
Answer: DE dt
= λN and N (t) = N0 eλt .

(ii) Solve the equation for the rate of growth of bacteria if the rate of increase is
proportional to the number present but the population is being reduced at a
constant rate by the removal of bacteria for experimental purposes. As in the
above example at t = 0 the number of bacteria is N0 .

Answer: DE dNdt
λN −R
= λN − R, where R is the constant removal rate; ln λN 0 −R
=
λt; if λN0 > R then N increases with time, if λN0 < R then N decreased with
time and λN − R < 0. In eithercase theargument of the logarithm is positive
and thus we have N (t) = Rλ + N0 − Rλ eλt . Note that if λN0 < R then N
1 R
decreases and becomes zero when t = λ
ln R−λN0
, after which time the DE no
longer applies.

(iii) Find the general solution, ie a solution that contains an arbitrary constant, of
each of the following differential equations. Then find a particular solution of

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each equation that satisfies the given boundary condition.

(a) xy ′ = y y = 3 when x = 2, i.e y (2) = 3;
√ √ 1
(b) x 1 − y 2 dx + y 1 − x2 dy = 0 y= 2
when x = 21 ;

(c) ∗ y ′ sin x = y ln y y = e when x = π3 ;

(d) xy ′ − xy = y y = 1 when x = 1;

2xy 2 +x
√
(e) ∗ y ′ = x2 y−y
y = 0 when x = 2.

Answers:
(a) general solution for y 6= 0 and x 6= 0 is ln y = ln x + γ or y = Cx,
where γ = ln C, and particular solution y = 23 x;
√ √
y 2 6= 1 and √
(b) general solution for √ x2 6= 1√is 1 − y 2 = −C − 1 − x2 ,
particular solution 1 − y 2 = 3 − 1 − x2 ; q
(c) general solution y = eC tan x/2 from ln ln y = ln 1−cos x
1+cos x
+ γ,
q h  i
1−cos x sin (x/2) x
noting that ln 1+cos x
= ln cos (x/2)
= ln tan 2
;
√
3 tan (x/2)
particular solution y = e ;
(d) general solution y = Cxex and particular solution y = 1e xex ;
2
(e) general solution 2y 2 + 1 = C (x2 − 1) , particular solution when C = 1.
(iv) The speed of a swooshing object is v = α − βt2 , where α and β are positive
constants. Find the acceleration and position of this object as functions of time,
if at some t1 the position is s (t1 ) = s1 , t1 > 0.

Answer: s (t) = αt − βt3 /3 + (s1 − αt1 + βt31 /3) and a (t) = −2βt.

(v) At t = 0, Angus traveling at 100 km/h sees a highland sheep standing in the
road 100 m ahead. After a reaction time of 0 · 3s, he applies the brakes and
decelerates at a constant rate of 4m/s2 . If the sheep takes 5s from t = 0 to react
and leave the road, does Angus miss it? What if the reaction time for Angus
had been 0 · 5s, all other parameters unchanged?

Hint: start by finding the analytic solution, ie replace the given numbers by suit-
able symbols.

Answer: Yes, the car travels 94 · 8 m in 5 s with a reaction time of 0 · 3s and

98 · 5m in 5 s with a reaction time of 0 · 5s.
The distance traveled as function of time is given by
s (t) = v1 t1 −(v1 + αt1 ) t1 +αt21 /2+(v1 + αt1 ) t−αt2 /2, where a = −αêt ,
v1 = v0 = 27 · 8m/s, and t1 = 0 · 3s.

(vi) A Lotus Cortina starts from rest and accelerates at a = α+βt m/s2 for t1 = 10s.
The brakes are then applied, and the Cortina has a constant acceleration a = −γ
m/s2 until it comes to rest. α, β, and γ are positive constants. Determine
a) the maximum speed;

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b) the total time of travel; and

c) the total distance traveled.

Figure 1: 1964 Lotus Cortina MkI.

Answers: a) vmax = v (t1 ) = αt1 + βt21 /2; b) t2 = v1 /γ + t1 ;

c) s (t2 ) = (αt21 /2 + βt31 /6) + (v1 + γt1 ) (t2 − t1 ) − γ (t22 − t21 ) /2.

4.3 Chain rule and separation of variables

(i) The boat is moving at constant speed v0 when the engine is shut down. Due to
aerodynamic drag, its subsequent acceleration is a = −γv 2 m/s2 , where v is the
speed of the boat in m/s and γ is a positive constant.
a) Find the boat’s speed as a function of time after the engine is shut down.
b) Find the distance that the boat move as a function of time following the shut
down.

Answer: a) v (t) = γvvt+1

0
; b) s (t) = γ1 ln |1 + γv0 t|.
0

(ii) A steel ball is released from rest in a container of oil. Its downward acceleration
is a = α − βv cm/s2 , where v is the ball’s speed in cm/s and α, β are positive
constants.
a) Find the ball’s downward speed after its release as a function of time.
b) Find the distance that the ball falls after its release as a function of time.
   
α α
Answers: a) v (t) = β
1 − e−βt ; b) s (t) = β2
tβ + e−βt − 1 .

(iii) The greatest ocean depth yet discovered is the Marianas Trench in the western
Pacific Ocean. A steel ball is released at the surface requires 64 minutes to reach
the bottom. The ball’s downward acceleration is a = 0 · 9g − kv m/s2 , where
g = 9 · 81 m/s2 and the constant k = 3 · 02 s−1 . Find the distance as a function
of time and thus the depth of the Marianas Trench in kilometers.
Check: 11 · 2 km.
h  i
0·9g 1
Answer: s (t) = k
t+ k
e−kt − 1 .

(iv)* A sky diver jumps from a helicopter and is falling straight down at 30 m/s when
the parachute opens. From then on, her downward acceleration is approximately
a = g − kv 2 , where g = 9 · 81 m/s2 and k is a constant. After an initial transient

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period, she descends at a nearly constant speed of 5 m/s.

a) What is the value of the constant k, and what are its SI units?
b) What maximum deceleration is the sky diver subjected to?
c) What is her downward speed when she has fallen 2 m from the point at which
her parachute opens?
r
v02
   
g g g
Answer: a) k = v2
≈ 0·39 m ; b) amax = g 1 −
−1
v12
; c) v = k
+ v02 − k
e−2kS .

(v) The acceleration of a particle is given by the function a = γs m/s2 , where s is

distance moved from original position and γ is a positive constant. When t = 0,
the particle has initial speed v0 . Find the speed of this particle as a function of
distance s.
q
Answer: v (s) = v02 + γs2 .

4.4 Linear First Order Ordinary Differential Equations

(i) Find the general solution of each of the following differential equations.
√
(a) x2 y ′ + 3xy = 1; (b) y ′ x2 + 1 + xy = x; (c) (1 + ex ) y ′ + 2ex y = (1 + ex ) ex ;
√ h i
1 e2x
Answers: (a) y = +C;
2x x3
(b) y = 1+Ce− x2 +1
; (c) y = ex
(1+ex )2
1 + ex + 3
+ C
ex

4.5 Consider a simple series circuit containing a resistance R, a capacitance C, and

inductance L, and a source of electromotive force V . If the current around the
circuit at time t is i (t), and the charge of the capacitor is q (t), then
dq
i= .
dt
The voltage across R is Ri, the voltage across the capacitor is q/C, and the
di
voltage across inductor is L dt . Then at any time t we have

di
L + Ri + q/C = V.
dt
If we differentiate this equation with respect to time, we get

d2 i di i dV
L 2
+R + = ,
dt dt C dt
which is the differential equation for the current i in a simple series LCR-circuit1
given L, C, R, and V (t).

(i) Find q as a function of time t for the special case of the above where L = 0,
the so called RC circuit, with V = 0, if at t = 0 the charge of the capacitor is q0 .

Answer: q (t) = q0 e−t/RC .

1
From this we can simply derive other simple circuits, eg RC-circuit (that is L = 0), or RL-circuit
(that is no capacitor, 1/C = 0).

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(ii) Find i (t) for another special case, where 1/C = 0, the so called RL-circuit, with
V = 0, if at t = 0 we have i = i0 .
Answer: i (t) = i0 e−Rt/L .

(iii) Find the general solution for an RL circuit with V = V0 cos ωt, where ω is con-
stant.

V0
Answer: i (t) = R2 +L2 ω 2
[R cos ωt + Lω sin ωt] + γe−Rt/L .

(iv) Find the general solution for an RC circuit with V = V0 cos ωt, where ω is con-
stant.

V0 RC
Answer: i (t) = 1+R2 C 2 ω 2
[ωRC cos ωt − sin ωt] + γe−t/RC .

(v)* Solve the both above problems using V = V0 eiωt , and taking the real parts of
the complex solutions.

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