Some weird circular relationship

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a mathematical modeling problem involving a circular relationship integral related to the angular velocity of a rotating body. Participants explore the implications of a time-dependent angular velocity and the dependence of the upper limit of the integral on this velocity. The conversation includes considerations of how to relate time, angular velocity, and a constant parameter through integrals, as well as the challenges of uniquely determining the angular velocity from the given equations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant introduces an integral equation for angular displacement, noting that the upper limit depends on the angular velocity, which is an unknown function.
  • Another participant suggests a more abstract perspective, comparing the problem to finding an area under a curve defined by an arbitrary function.
  • Some participants argue that the integral equation alone is insufficient to uniquely determine both the angular velocity and the time variable, suggesting the need for additional equations.
  • A participant proposes that the relationship could be expressed in a functional form, where time is a function of angular velocity and the constant parameter.
  • Further contributions discuss the coupling of the original integral with additional equations involving controllable functions and a square wave signal, emphasizing the complexity of the system.
  • Some participants explore specific forms of the angular velocity function, noting that different choices lead to different expressions for time.
  • There is a suggestion that the bounds of the integrals may need adjustment to better reflect the system dynamics.
  • Participants discuss the relationship between angular velocity, torque, and moment of inertia, considering how these factors influence the integral equations.
  • One participant questions whether a specific integral form could simplify the analysis, relating it to the square of angular velocity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the integral equation alone does not provide enough information to uniquely determine the angular velocity or the time variable. Multiple competing views remain regarding the formulation of the problem and the necessary equations to resolve it.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the problem's complexity arises from the interdependence of the variables involved, particularly how the angular velocity affects the time variable and the need for additional equations to constrain the system. There are also discussions about the assumptions underlying the choice of functions for angular velocity and torque.

Runei
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Hello there!

I'm currently doing some mathematical modelling at my work, and I have arrived at an interesting kind of circular relationship integral - and now I'm wondering about what to do.

The integral looks very innocent at first glance:
$$ \theta_s = \int\limits_0^{t_1} \omega (t) dt$$
So, it's a circular rotating body, with some time-dependent angular velocity. However, the ##\theta_s## is a constant - a parameter we can design in the system.

But what makes the thing complex (at least in my head) is that ##t_1## is the time it takes for the body to rotate the amount ##\theta_s## - so the upper limit becomes dependent on the angular velocity also.

Can I create another integral that relates the time ##t_1## to ##\omega (t)## and ##\theta_s##?
Is Leibniz' rule the way to go?

And ##\omega (t)## is an unknown function, by the way.
 
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You can consider it more abstractly. You have an arbitrary function y=f(x), and you want to find the value of x2 such that the area under the curve from x=x1 to x2 is a given value. Doesn't sound like there's any way to cast that than the form of integral you quote.
 
We can't uniquely determine ##\omega(t)## neither ##t_1## just by this integral equation, need more equations to uniquely determine them.

For example if you try ##\omega(t)=at+b## you ''ll find a ##t_1## that depends on a,b and ##\theta_s## (##at_1^2+2bt_1-2\theta_s+c=0##), if you try ##\omega(t)=sin(at)## you 'll find a totally different ##t_1=\frac{1}{a}arcos(a\theta_s+1)##.
 
Last edited:
Delta² said:
We can't uniquely determine ##\omega(t)## neither ##t_1## just by this integral equation, need more equations to uniquely determine them.
I don't think that is what Runei was trying to do. Rather, he was looking to turn the equation into the form ##t_1=F(\omega, \theta_s)##, where F is some functional, maybe an integral.
 
Thanks for the replies! The equation is coupled with another equation namely
$$ \int\limits_0^{t_1}\tau_1(t)\omega(t)dt+\int\limits_0^{t_2}\tau_2(t)\omega(t)dt+\int\limits_0^{t_1}\tau_{in}\omega(t)dt = 0 $$
The ##\tau_1(t)## and ##\tau_2(t)## are controllable functions - they can be chosen by design (EDIT: And they will have the opposite sign of ##\tau_{in}##). The function ##\tau_{in}## is a square wave signal (perhaps modulating another signal - but that is of lesser importance right now) with an on-time of ##t_1## and an off-time of ##t_2##. And as mentioned earlier, the ##t_1## is precisely the time it takes the system to turn an amount ##\theta_s##.

$$ \theta_s = \int\limits_0^{t_1}\omega(t) dt $$

What I am basically trying to do is modelling the system in steady-state, where I know that the input torque will be a square wave, with duty cycle determined by the angular velocity as mentioned above.

I've been considering using a trapezoidal expansion of the integrals and solving the equations numerically, but I was wondering if they could be "massaged" even more.

Thanks again for the replies! :-)
 
I might be wrong but seems to me again that we can't determine uniquely ##\omega(t)##. Can choose "quite a random " ##\omega(t)## and then just solve for ##t_1## and ##t_2##. For example if we put ##\omega(t)=C## we see how everything is simplified and easy to determine ##t_1## and ##t_2## so that the two integral equations hold. But I might be wrong.

I think perhaps a third equation , even one not directly involving ##\omega(t)## but some equation like ##t_1+t_2=C## will narrow down our choices for ##\omega(t)##.
 
Well there are actually some more now that I think about it.
One thing I realized is that the integral with ##t_2## should probably have a lower bound being ##t_1## instead.
##\int\limits_0^{t_1}\tau_1(t)\omega(t)dt+\int\limits_0^{t_1}\tau_{in}(t)\omega(t)dt+\int\limits_{t_1}^{t_2}\tau_2(t)\omega(t)dt = 0##
##\theta_s = \int\limits_0^{t_1}\omega(t) dt##
The function ##\tau_{in}## will have a period ##T_{in}## and that period will be equal to ##t_2##. Furthermore, the function ##\tau_{in}## has it's duty cycle ##D## which means that
##t_1 = D\cdot T_{in}##

But there's more I see. The ##\omega(t)## is at any time related to the torque ##\tau_{net}## and moment of inertia ##I##, which means that we have in the period ##[0;t_1]##:
##\dot\omega(t)\cdot I = \tau_{net} = \tau_{in} + \tau_{1}##
And in the time period ##[t_1;t_2]##
##\dot\omega(t)\cdot I = \tau_{net} = \tau_{2}##

So I guess the integrals above could be rewritten as
##\int\limits_0^{t_1}\dot\omega(t)\omega(t) dt+\int\limits_{t_1}^{t_2}\dot\omega(t)\omega(t) dt = 0##
The moment of inertia can be removed since it's constant and can be multiplied out.
 
Runei said:
Well there are actually some more now that I think about it.
One thing I realized is that the integral with ##t_2## should probably have a lower bound being ##t_1## instead.
##\int\limits_0^{t_1}\tau_1(t)\omega(t)dt+\int\limits_0^{t_1}\tau_{in}(t)\omega(t)dt+\int\limits_{t_1}^{t_2}\tau_2(t)\omega(t)dt = 0##
##\theta_s = \int\limits_0^{t_1}\omega(t) dt##
The function ##\tau_{in}## will have a period ##T_{in}## and that period will be equal to ##t_2##. Furthermore, the function ##\tau_{in}## has it's duty cycle ##D## which means that
##t_1 = D\cdot T_{in}##

But there's more I see. The ##\omega(t)## is at any time related to the torque ##\tau_{net}## and moment of inertia ##I##, which means that we have in the period ##[0;t_1]##:
##\dot\omega(t)\cdot I = \tau_{net} = \tau_{in} + \tau_{1}##
And in the time period ##[t_1;t_2]##
##\dot\omega(t)\cdot I = \tau_{net} = \tau_{2}##

So I guess the integrals above could be rewritten as
##\int\limits_0^{t_1}\dot\omega(t)\omega(t) dt+\int\limits_{t_1}^{t_2}\dot\omega(t)\omega(t) dt = 0##
The moment of inertia can be removed since it's constant and can be multiplied out.
Isn't ##\int \dot\omega(t)\omega(t).dt## just ##[\omega^2(t)]/2##?
 

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