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Homework Statement
A critically damped oscillator with natural frequency \omega starts out at position x_0>0. What is the maximum initial speed (directed towards the origin) it can have and not cross the origin?
Homework Equations
For the case of critical damping,
x(t)=e^{(-\gammat)}(A+Bt) where \gamma=\omega=\sqrt{k/m}
The Attempt at a Solution
Well first I derived the above equation (and verified it with my textbook). I then evaluated the initial position:
x(0)=A.
I then took the derivative of the position function to get velocity:
v(t)=(e^{-\gamma t}) ( B-Bt\gamma -A\gamma)
Setting t=0 I obtained
v(0)=B-A\gamma recalling that x0=A, v(0)= B-x_0\gamma. I then solved for Beta: B=v_0 +\gamma x_0.
I then tried substituting this back into the position equation, and solving for the initial velocity, the program is there is always time dependency that i can't get rid of... what am i doing wrong? any advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks
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