Have I answered these questions on Laplace's equation correctly?

In summary, we are checking which of the given functions obey Laplace's equation. After calculating the second partial derivatives for each function, it is determined that functions a, b, d, and e follow Laplace's equation while function c does not.
  • #1
lozzyjay
16
0

Homework Statement


I missed the lecture on this so I just wanted to check if I am doing this correctly?

Which of the following functions obey Laplace’s equation?
a) Ψ(x, y) = 2xy
b) Ψ(x, y) = x^3 - 3y^2
c) Ψ(x, y) = x^4 - 6x^2.y^2
d) Ψ(x, y) = e^x.siny
e) Ψ(x, y) = sinxsinhy

Homework Equations



[tex]\nabla[/tex][tex]^{2}[/tex] = [tex]\partial^2/\partial x^2 + \partial^2/\partial y^2 + \partial^2/\partial z^2[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



I am not showing me working out the partial derivatives of each question so I'm just showing the final line of my working.

a) 0 - 0 = 0 so yes

b) 6x - 6x = 0 so yes

c)12x^2 - 12y^2 - 12x^2 so no it doesn't

d) e^x.sin(y) - e^x.sin(y) = 0 so yes

e) -sin(x)sinh(y) + sin(x)sinh(y) = 0 so yes
 
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  • #2
Hi lozzyjay! :smile:

ok except for:
lozzyjay said:
b) 6x - 6x = 0 so yes
:wink:
 
  • #3
Ah yes! Thank you! :)
 

1. Can you explain what Laplace's equation is?

Laplace's equation is a mathematical equation used to describe the behavior of a scalar field in space. It is named after French mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace and is commonly used in physics and engineering to model various phenomena such as heat flow, fluid dynamics, and electrostatics.

2. How is Laplace's equation different from other equations?

Laplace's equation is a second-order partial differential equation, meaning that it involves the second derivatives of the scalar field. It is also a linear equation, which means that the solution can be obtained by adding together multiple solutions. This linearity property makes it easier to solve compared to other nonlinear equations.

3. What are the applications of Laplace's equation?

Laplace's equation has many practical applications in physics and engineering. It is used to solve problems related to heat transfer, fluid flow, electromagnetic fields, and more. It is also used in image processing and signal analysis to smooth out noise and enhance images.

4. How do you solve Laplace's equation?

The process of solving Laplace's equation involves finding the general solution of the equation, which is a function that satisfies the equation for all possible values of the variables. This can be done using various mathematical techniques such as separation of variables, Fourier series, and the method of images.

5. Are there any real-life examples of Laplace's equation?

Yes, there are many real-life examples of Laplace's equation. Some common ones include calculating the temperature distribution in a heated metal plate, predicting the flow of air around an airplane wing, and determining the electric potential inside a charged conductor. It is also used in geophysics to study the Earth's gravitational field and in finance to model stock prices.

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