How boundary conditions help in finding integration constant

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
1 reply · 4K views
gracy
Messages
2,486
Reaction score
83
How to find value of integration constant?I know with the help of boundary conditions,but How boundary conditions help in finding integration constant?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
An integral ##I## without integration limits is an indefinite integral
$$
I(x) = \int f(x) dx = F(x) + C
$$
If you know at least one boundary condition, e.g. ##I(x)## at ##x=a##, you can plug in these values to get
$$
I(a) = F(a) + C
$$
which can be solved for C.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: gracy