Second order nonlinear differential equation

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of solving a differential equation analytically, which can be simplified and set up for numerical integration.
  • #1
equation M
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Is it possible to solve the following differential equation analytically?

y''(x) = A - B [exp(y(x)/C) - 1]

where A, B and C are constants.


Thank you...
 
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  • #2
that can be simplified to
[tex]y'= A- Be^{y/C}- B= (A- B)- Be^{y/C}= A'- Be^{y/C}[/tex]
with A- B= A'
and if you let z= y/C, y= Cz, so y''= Cz'' and the equation becomes
Cz''= A'- Be^z or z''= A"- B'e^z
with A"= A'/C and B'= B/C.

Since the independent variable, x, does not appear in that, let u= z' so that z''= u'= (du/dz)(dz/dx)= u(du/dz) and the equation becomes
u(du/dz)= A"- B'e^z so udu= (A"- B'e^z)dz and, integrating,
(1/2)u^2= A"z- B'e^z+ C

So u= dz/dt= sqrt(2(A"z- B'e^z+ C))

dt= dz/sqrt(2(A"z- B'e^z+ C))

That looks like it cannot be integrated analytically but at least it is set up for a direct numerical integration.
 

What is a second order nonlinear differential equation?

A second order nonlinear differential equation is a mathematical equation that involves two variables and their derivatives, where the derivatives are raised to powers other than 1. These equations are used to model many physical phenomena in natural and social sciences.

What is the difference between a linear and a nonlinear differential equation?

A linear differential equation has the form y'' + p(x)y' + q(x)y = g(x), where p(x), q(x), and g(x) are functions of x and y is the dependent variable. In contrast, a nonlinear differential equation has the form F(x, y, y', y'') = 0, where F is a function of x, y, and its derivatives. The main difference is that in nonlinear equations, the dependent variable and its derivatives are raised to powers other than 1.

What are the applications of second order nonlinear differential equations?

Second order nonlinear differential equations are used to model a wide range of physical phenomena, including motion of particles in a magnetic field, oscillations in electrical circuits, population growth, chemical reactions, and more. They are also used in engineering and economics to analyze complex systems.

What are the methods for solving second order nonlinear differential equations?

There is no general method for solving all second order nonlinear differential equations. However, some common techniques include substitution, separation of variables, and power series methods. In some cases, numerical methods such as Euler's method or Runge-Kutta method may also be used.

How can second order nonlinear differential equations be used to predict future behavior?

By solving second order nonlinear differential equations, we can obtain a mathematical expression for the dependent variable as a function of the independent variable. This can then be used to make predictions about how the system will behave in the future, based on the initial conditions and the parameters of the equation.

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