Learning DEs: Solving 2nd Order Differential Equations

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 · 1K views
greg_rack
Gold Member
Messages
361
Reaction score
79
Hi guys,

I have just started studying DEs on my own, so pardonne moi in advance for the probably silly question :)

Via Newton's second law of motion:
$$x''=\frac{F}{m} \ [1]$$
Which is a second-order differential equation.
But, from here, how do I get the good old equation of motion:
$$x(t)=\frac{F}{2m}t^2+vt+x$$
by solving the DE? What is the procedure to apply? In my textbook, only second-order homogeneous DE are treated, but nothing with the form of ##[1]##... and online everything looks over-complicated.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Ok, I managed to get to the solution just by integrating twice both sides.
I was wrapping my head for nothing!
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: berkeman