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Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution & Harmonic Oscillator Plots

The document outlines Homework 5 for an Introduction to Computer Programming course focused on the physical sciences. It includes tasks such as plotting the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for nitrogen and helium gases, visualizing sample data against a model function, and modifying a function for a lightly damped harmonic oscillator to analyze its motion over time. The homework emphasizes proper labeling and presentation of plots to enhance clarity and aesthetics.

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Shersingh Saini
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7 views1 page

Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution & Harmonic Oscillator Plots

The document outlines Homework 5 for an Introduction to Computer Programming course focused on the physical sciences. It includes tasks such as plotting the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for nitrogen and helium gases, visualizing sample data against a model function, and modifying a function for a lightly damped harmonic oscillator to analyze its motion over time. The homework emphasizes proper labeling and presentation of plots to enhance clarity and aesthetics.

Uploaded by

Shersingh Saini
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Introduction to Computer Programming for the Physical Sciences

Timothy Brandt
Fall 2021

Homework 5
1. We have looked at a few functions in this class. One important one for physics is the Maxwell-Boltzmann
distribution 3/2
mv 2
  
m
p(v) = 4πv 2 exp − . (1)
2πkB T 2kB T
Please plot the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution p(v) for nitrogen gas (molecular mass 4.65 × 10−26 kg) and
helium gas (atomic mass 6.65×10−27 kg), both at a temperature of 300 K. Please choosep appropriate units and
labels for both axes. Finally, the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution peaks at v0 = 2kB T /m. Please plot a
single point at (v0 , p(v0 )) on top of the continuous Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for both chemical species.

2. I have supplied sample data in the file [Link], with time in the first column and signal in the
second column. Please plot these as points, and plot the model y = x − cos x on the same axes. Please
include a legend and axis labels.

3. In a previous homework, I stated (without proof) that the solution to a lightly damped harmonic oscillator
is
x(t) = Ae−(γ/2)t cos (ωt + φ) (2)
where x is the position, γ describes how strong the damping is, ω is the angular frequency (shifted from the
frequency ω0 of the undamped oscillator) by

ω 2 = ω02 − γ 2 /4, (3)

A is the amplitude, and φ is a phase.

a. Modify the function that you wrote for x in a previous homework to make it a function of t, A, γ, ω0 ,
and φ. In other words, you’ll have to just slightly change your earlier function to take ω0 rather than ω as
an argument.

b. Assume A = 1 m, ω0 = 1 rad s−1 , and φ = 0. Plot (and label) the motion of the oscillator between t = 0
and t = 20 seconds for γ = 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1 s−1 , all on the same plot.

c. Now assume A = 1 m, ω0 = 1 rad s−1 , φ = 0, and γ = 0.2 s−1 . Please plot x(t) and also the envelope
defined by the two functions
X(t) = ±e−(γ/2)t . (4)
Please use thinner lines in a different color (say, gray) for the envelope; you may also make the lines dashed
or dotted. Please try to make the figure look nice, like you would see in a textbook.

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