- #1
thehoten
- 5
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a flexible but inextensible chain having uniform mass density is suspended between two points (of course not vertically aligned). Find the shape of the equilibrium of the chain.
The chain will settle down to a position of minimal potential energy. Let the suspending points be (a,y(a)) and (b,y(b)) where (without loss of generality) b>a and y(b)>y(a). The potential energy delta p (relative to y(a)) of a portion of chain corresponding to small delta x is gievn by delta p = y(1+y'^2)^(1/2) delta x.
I don't understand where this potential comes from
The chain will settle down to a position of minimal potential energy. Let the suspending points be (a,y(a)) and (b,y(b)) where (without loss of generality) b>a and y(b)>y(a). The potential energy delta p (relative to y(a)) of a portion of chain corresponding to small delta x is gievn by delta p = y(1+y'^2)^(1/2) delta x.
I don't understand where this potential comes from