Equation of Motion for a Projectile Under Quadratic Air Resistance

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on deriving the equation of motion for a projectile under the influence of gravity and quadratic air resistance. The participants clarify that both forces oppose the projectile's motion, leading to the equation ma = -mg - cv² for upward motion and ma = -mg + cv² for downward motion. They emphasize the need to solve the differential equation mdv/dt = -mg - cv² and utilize integration techniques, particularly substitution and arctan, to express velocity as a function of time. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding integration methods to solve complex motion equations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's second law of motion
  • Familiarity with differential equations
  • Knowledge of integration techniques, particularly substitution
  • Basic concepts of quadratic air resistance
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  • Study the derivation of the equation of motion under quadratic air resistance
  • Learn about integration techniques, specifically integration by substitution
  • Explore the application of arctan in solving integrals
  • Investigate the effects of air resistance on projectile motion in various contexts
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Students and professionals in physics, particularly those studying mechanics, as well as engineers and mathematicians interested in motion dynamics and integration techniques.

  • #61
what step did you take?
 
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  • #62
Oblio said:
Ok because I am having trouble matching what you got taking out the last constants

show me what you get... I might have made a mistake.
 
  • #63
One more question first, how do we treat it like a parantheses, when you don't really have anything outside the 'bracket' to multiply or divide, in the simplification process.

I tried lots of things, but logically I'm not sure the proper logic behind taking out those constants when there's no 'other side' to multiply/divide etc...
know what i mean?
 
  • #64
Oblio said:
One more question first, how do we treat it like a parantheses, when you don't really have anything outside the 'bracket' to multiply or divide, in the simplification process.

I tried lots of things, but logically I'm not sure the proper logic behind taking out those constants when there's no 'other side' to multiply/divide etc...
know what i mean?

I'm not sure I understand... for example:

\int5xdx = 5\int xdx

For any integral \int A*f(x)dx = A\int f(x)dx where A is a constant.

we're just factoring it out... so you don't need an other side...

never mind about taking the constants out...

suppose I had it like this:

\int\frac{-m}{mg}*\frac{\frac{du}{sqrt[c/mg]}}{1+ u^2}

now, I just want to clean this up a little... simplify it... don't take anything outsdie the integral.
 
Last edited:
  • #65
You mean for me to to it?

I know and understand your first rule there, but does that apply to a multi layer division?
 
  • #66
Oblio said:
You mean for me to to it?

Yeah.

I know and understand your first rule there, but does that apply to a multi layer division?

Which rule?
 
  • #67
learningphysics said:
\int5xdx = 5\int xdx

For any integral \int A*f(x)dx = A\int f(x)dx where A is a constant.

QUOTE]
 
  • #68
Oblio said:
learningphysics said:
\int5xdx = 5\int xdx

For any integral \int A*f(x)dx = A\int f(x)dx where A is a constant.

QUOTE]

don't worry about taking anything out of the integral... just simplify it inside the integral.
 
  • #69
Yeah, that's what I'm aiming for, but when I simplify equations; mentally I do the 'what you do to one side, do to the other' etc. With nothing outside of the integral, how do we bring out sqrt[c/mg] ?
 
  • #70
Oblio said:
Yeah, that's what I'm aiming for, but when I simplify equations; mentally I do the 'what you do to one side, do to the other' etc. With nothing outside of the integral, how do we bring out sqrt[c/mg] ?

don't bring it out:

\int\frac{-m}{mg}*\frac{\frac{du}{sqrt[c/mg]}}{1+ u^2}

this equals

\int\frac{-m}{mg}*\frac{1}{sqrt[c/mg]}*\frac{du}{1+ u^2}

now, the first thing you can do is cancel the m's in the numerator and denominator... what else can you do to simplify...
 
  • #71
Besides moving it out of the integral?
 
  • #72
Oblio said:
Besides moving it out of the integral?

yes. forget about moving it out of the integral...
 
  • #73
learningphysics said:
yes. forget about moving it out of the integral...

we have 2 fractions multiplied together...


\frac{-1}{g} x \frac{1}{/sqrt{c/mg}}

I would think the sqrt would need to removed maybe...
 
  • #74
Oblio said:
we have 2 fractions multiplied together...


\frac{-1}{g} x \frac{1}{/sqrt{c/mg}}

I would think the sqrt would need to removed maybe...

can you do anything with the g that is there and the g inside the square root?

also try to clean up the fraction so that I don't have additional fractions inside the numerator and denominator... ie: in the numerator I want stuff being multiplied... in the denominator I want stuff being multiplied...
 
  • #75
I'm sure this isn't hard but I can't see anything...
 
  • #76
I know the fractions are technically the same thing as -1/g/sqrt[c/mg], but that doesn't help
 
  • #77
Oblio said:
I know the fractions are technically the same thing as -1/g/sqrt[c/mg], but that doesn't help

what is \frac{g}{\sqrt{g}}?
 
  • #78
In trying things out manually I'm finding that its sqrt[g] but i definitely didnt know that before now... hmm
 
  • #79
Oblio said:
In trying things out manually I'm finding that its sqrt[g] but i definitely didnt know that before now... hmm

exactly... can you further simplify the integral?
 
  • #80
Its hard since its in the denominator in the square root...

is it close to...
sqrt[c/(msqrt[g])] lol that's wrong...
 
  • #81
Oblio said:
Its hard since its in the denominator in the square root...

is it close to...
sqrt[c/(msqrt[g])] lol that's wrong...

\frac{-1}{g}\times\frac{1}{\sqrt{c/mg}}

=

\frac{-1}{\sqrt{gc/m}}

=

-\sqrt{\frac{m}{gc}}
 
  • #82
I'll have to do some research on that, I can't say I'm following manipulating such distant numbers..
 
  • #83
learningphysics said:
\frac{-1}{g}\times\frac{1}{\sqrt{c/mg}}

=

\frac{-1}{\sqrt{gc/m}}

=

-\sqrt{\frac{m}{gc}}

For the time being, I'm left with

-\sqrt{\frac{m}{gc}} \int \frac{du}{1+u^2}

Now integrate it I assume
 
  • #84
Oblio said:
For the time being, I'm left with

-\sqrt{\frac{m}{gc}} \int \frac{du}{1+u^2}

Now integrate it I assume

yeah, use arctan. we should actually have limits on that integral... so:

-\sqrt{\frac{m}{gc}} \int_{u_{initial}}^{u_{final}} \frac{du}{1+u^2}
 
  • #85
learningphysics said:
yeah, use arctan. we should actually have limits on that integral... so:

-\sqrt{\frac{m}{gc}} \int_{u_{initial}}^{u_{final}} \frac{du}{1+u^2}


We often didn't use limits. Why this time?
 
  • #86
Oblio said:
We often didn't use limits. Why this time?

Yeah, we don't need the limits... but we should add a constant when we take the integral...
 
  • #87
learningphysics said:
\int_{u_{initial}}^{u_{final}} \frac{du}{1+u^2}

That IS arctan isn't it?
 
  • #88
Oblio said:
That IS arctan isn't it?

yeah.
 
  • #89
Ok so if arctan = that, I need to find out what the integral of arctan is..
 
  • #90
Oblio said:
Ok so if arctan = that, I need to find out what the integral of arctan is..

no arctan IS the integral.
 

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