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bobcat817
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Homework Statement
Consider a traveling wave u(x,t) =f(x - at) where f is a given function of one variable.
(a) If it is a solution of the wave equation, show that the speed must be [tex]a = \pm c[/tex] (unless f is a linear function).
(b) If it is a solution of the diffusion equation, find f and show that the speed a is arbitrary.
Homework Equations
Wave: u(x,t) = f(x+ct) + g(x-ct) and [tex]u_{tt} = c^2u_{xx}[/tex]
Diffusion: [tex]u_{t} = ku_{xx}[/tex] and [tex]u(x,t) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{4kt\pi}}\int^{\infty}_{-\infty}e^{-(x-y)^2/4kt}\phi(y)dy[/tex]
The Attempt at a Solution
(a) The wave equation is [tex] u_{tt} = c^2u_{xx}[/tex] with the general solutions u(x,t) = f(x + ct) + g(x - ct), so for the solution to be u(x,t) = f(x-at), [tex]a = \pm c[/tex]. If f is linear, then [tex]u_{tt} =u_{xx}=0[/tex], so it doesn't matter what a equals.
(b) [tex]u(x,t) = f(x-at) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{4kt\pi}}\int^{\infty}_{-\infty}e^{-(x-y)^2/4kt}\phi(y)dy[/tex] I don't know where to go from here.