Can anyone make a differential equation from the below eg:

In summary, the conversation discusses an example of darkness and light intensity in a dark room with a burning candle. It is mentioned that the brightness decreases linearly with distance from the candle and at point B, the light intensity is zero. The concept of differential equations is brought up, but it is determined that the given example does not demonstrate their usefulness. A suggestion is made to consider an object falling with varying drag as an example involving rates of change.
  • #1
abhijath
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0
[ NOTE ] Thread moved to homework forums by mentor

suppose in a dark room a candle is burning, so darkness increases as we move away from the candle. from the below diagram can anyone derive a differential example to show the rate of change of darkness from candle to point B.

IMG_20151103_235023.jpg


supposing darkness decreases by one unit for every meter and AB is 10 meter.
 
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  • #2
What do you know about the light intensity at some point from the light source?
 
  • #3
Take light intensity as 10 at point A
 
  • #4
abhijath said:
Take light intensity as 10 at point A
jedishrfu means at some arbitrary point at a given distance from the source.
 
  • #5
It decreases by 1 unit for every metre from A to B
 
  • #6
So light intensity will be zero at point B
 
  • #7
abhijath said:
supposing darkness decreases by one unit for every meter and AB is 10 meter
First, you don't mean that. Brightness will decrease from A to B.
And "darkness" is not a measurable, brightness is.
But is this statement part of the problem as given to you? Word for word? It's very strange because brightness will not change linearly with distance.
abhijath said:
So light intensity will be zero at point B
Again, that doesn't fit with reality.
 
  • #8
Forget about reality, Iam just giving a concept so that someone can tell me how is differential equation useful in practical cases.
 
  • #9
In any case, a diff. eq. is not relevant unless you consider an algebraic equation a diff. eq. of zero order:
brightness = 10(1 - x/10), x in meters.
Of course, this assumption is nonsense as others here have pointed out.
 
  • #10
abhijath said:
Forget about reality, Iam just giving a concept so that someone can tell me how is differential equation useful in practical cases.
Ok, but your example is not going to demonstrate differential equations being useful. In your example, you can just write down the algebraic relationship of brightness to distance from the given information. (As rudeman has done.). You could then differentiate it to obtain a differential equation, but this doesn't demonstrate any usefulness because you already know the solution.
You would need an example in which the equations you write down initially involve rates of change. Try an object falling, subject to drag which varies as either v or v2.
 
1.

What is a differential equation?

A differential equation is a mathematical equation that relates a function to its derivatives. It describes how a quantity changes over time or space.

2.

What is the purpose of making a differential equation?

Differential equations are used to model and solve real-world problems in various fields such as physics, engineering, economics, and biology. They provide a mathematical framework for understanding and predicting the behavior of complex systems.

3.

What are the steps for making a differential equation?

The steps for making a differential equation include identifying the independent and dependent variables, determining the order and degree of the equation, writing an expression for the derivative(s) of the dependent variable, and incorporating any initial or boundary conditions.

4.

What are some common applications of differential equations?

Differential equations have a wide range of applications, including modeling population growth, predicting weather patterns, analyzing electrical circuits, and understanding chemical reactions. They are also used in engineering for designing and optimizing systems.

5.

Is it difficult to make a differential equation?

The difficulty of making a differential equation depends on the complexity of the problem being modeled. Basic differential equations can be relatively easy to create, while more advanced equations may require a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and techniques.

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