Understanding the Relationship between Velocity and Time in Calculus

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    Calculus
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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between velocity and time in calculus, specifically the equation \(\frac{dv}{dt}=\frac{\partial v}{\partial r}+\frac{\partial v}{\partial t}\). A participant seeks clarification on the validity of this equation, while another contributor introduces the chain rule, stating that when \(v = v(r(t),t)\), the correct formulation is \(\frac{dv}{dt}=\frac{\partial v}{\partial r}\frac{dr}{dt}+\frac{\partial v}{\partial t}\). This highlights the importance of understanding how spatial variation affects velocity over time.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of calculus concepts, particularly derivatives and partial derivatives.
  • Familiarity with the chain rule in calculus.
  • Basic knowledge of functions and their relationships.
  • Concept of velocity as a function of position and time.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the chain rule in calculus in detail.
  • Explore the concept of partial derivatives and their applications.
  • Learn about the relationship between velocity and acceleration in physics.
  • Investigate how small variations in spatial parameters affect dynamic systems.
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Students of calculus, physics enthusiasts, and anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the mathematical relationships between velocity, position, and time.

sniffer
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i just want simple explanation of this.
velocity v is a function of r and t.
then my professor, in order to derive relationship of something, he wrote:
\frac{dv}{dt}=\frac{\partial v}{\partial r}+\frac{\partial v}{\partial t}
then assuming small spatial variation,
\frac{dv}{dt} \approx \frac{\partial v}{\partial t}
my question: is the first equation above OK?
is it standard calculus? i am weak in this. please help.


thanks.
 
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look up the chain rule; when v = v(r(t),t),


\frac{dv}{dt}=\frac{\partial v}{\partial r}\frac{dr}{dt}+\frac{\partial v}{\partial t}

then you can see the following argument makes more sense?
 
thanks. i just want to clarify again, does it mean dr/dt is small, i.e. small velocity?
 

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