- #1
docholliday
- 4
- 0
U = energy
In the book:
[itex] \frac{dU}{dt} = \frac{d}{dt} (\frac{1}{2} mv^2 + \frac{1}{2} kx^2) [/itex]
then we have [itex] m \frac{d^{2}x}{dt^2} + kx = 0 [/itex] because [itex] v = \frac{dx}{dt} [/itex]
however they get rid of [itex] \frac{dx}{dt} [/itex] .
They are ignoring the case where v = 0, because then [itex] m \frac{d^{2}x}{dt^2} + kx [/itex] doesn't have to be zero, and it can still satisfy the equation.
In the book:
[itex] \frac{dU}{dt} = \frac{d}{dt} (\frac{1}{2} mv^2 + \frac{1}{2} kx^2) [/itex]
then we have [itex] m \frac{d^{2}x}{dt^2} + kx = 0 [/itex] because [itex] v = \frac{dx}{dt} [/itex]
however they get rid of [itex] \frac{dx}{dt} [/itex] .
They are ignoring the case where v = 0, because then [itex] m \frac{d^{2}x}{dt^2} + kx [/itex] doesn't have to be zero, and it can still satisfy the equation.
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