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Dependent Variable F (Independent Variables, Parameters, Forcing Functions)

This document discusses mathematical modeling and problem solving. It provides an example of using Newton's second law to model the terminal velocity of a falling body. The model establishes acceleration as a function of the downward force of gravity and upward force of air resistance. This differential equation can be solved using calculus to obtain the numerical solution for velocity over time. In summary, the document presents Newton's second law as a simple mathematical model, then provides a more complex example using it to model terminal velocity as a function of forces through a differential equation solved numerically.

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Daniela Blanco
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43 views3 pages

Dependent Variable F (Independent Variables, Parameters, Forcing Functions)

This document discusses mathematical modeling and problem solving. It provides an example of using Newton's second law to model the terminal velocity of a falling body. The model establishes acceleration as a function of the downward force of gravity and upward force of air resistance. This differential equation can be solved using calculus to obtain the numerical solution for velocity over time. In summary, the document presents Newton's second law as a simple mathematical model, then provides a more complex example using it to model terminal velocity as a function of forces through a differential equation solved numerically.

Uploaded by

Daniela Blanco
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
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Mathematical Modeling and Engineering Problem Solving

A simple mathematical model.


A mathematical model can be defined as a formulation or equation
that expresses the essential features of a physical system or process
in mathematical terms. In a general case:
Dependent variable = f (independent variables, parameters, forcing functions).

A schematic form to view such approach is:


Didactic example: think of Newton second law formulation:
(what does this equation establish?)
The traditional mathematical expression, or model, of the NSL, is the
well-known equation: F = m a. What does each term mean? We can
get an expression to acceleration, that is: a = F / m. Here,
a= the dependent variable reflecting the system’s behavior,
F= the forcing function,
m= a parameter representing a property of the system.
The solution for such a system can be obtained easily. To illustrate a
more complex model of this kind, NSL can be used to determine the
terminal velocity of a free-falling body near the earth’s surface, for
this purpose, we consider that acceleration is the time rate of change
of the velocity:

So, the mass multiplied by the rate change of the velocity is equal to
the net force acting on the body. The net force must contain the tow
opposite forces involved in the motion: the downward pull of gravity
FD and the upward force of air resistance FU:
F= FD + FU
FD = mg, with g = 9.8m/s2. Air resistance can be formulated in variety
of ways, such as: FU= - cv (why the minus sign?), with c as a constant
called drag coefficient. The net force is written as:
−
= = −
Such equation is a model that relates the acceleration of a falling
object to the forces acting on it, it is a differential equation whose
solution is not obtained just by algebraic manipulation, rather, we
use a more sophisticated techniques of calculus and border
conditions: (think the problem as the parachutist falling)
V=0 when t=0 (initially at rest). The solution for the differential
equation is:
( )
( )= 1−

The example carried out led us to an exact solution (or analytical


solution). There are many mathematical models that cannot be
solved exactly. In many of these cases, the only alternative is to
develop a numerical solution that approximates the exact solution.

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