Lecture 12

Department of Physics
School of Natural Sciences
Shiv Nadar University

Solving equation of motion in 1 dimension

2

=
=
2

(m is assumed to be t-independent)
Goal: To find v(t) and x(t) with the aid of given
initial/boundary conditions.
In general F can be a function of t,x,v (=dx/dt) and t,
and may be higher derivatives of x.
Let us focus on some special cases.
(The following slides give the usual strategies that one follows to
deal with such equations. You should not try to use the general
expressions below to solve a given problem. Rather deal with a
given problem explicitly. )

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In this case the solution is straightforward:

()

(Separate the variables)

()

(0)

1
=

0
1
(0) =

0

Now if = , some function* of t, then

= +

())

* In general it may not be possible to integrate F(t) in terms of some

known/standard function(s).

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Now v(t)=dx(t)/dt, so

1
(

(0))+(0)

()

(0)

1
= 0

0 =

0 0

0 0
1

0 0

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This further simplifies if

0 =

= . We get

0 0

 ()
,
= +

where =

()

())

= , and

2 ()
,
2

i.e.,

 ()
Example: A particle of mass m and charge q in an

oscillating electric field:

= ( )
Time-dependent force on the particle:

= = ( )
=

0
=
cos( )

0
= 2 sin( )

 0 =

()
0 =0

Thus,
= 0

= 0

1
+
0

1
0
0
+

cos +

+ ( )

= 0

= 0

0 0

1 0

= + +

1
0

 ()

()

= (Separate the variables)

()
(0) ()

()
(0) ()

 ()
Suppose

()

= ()

((0)) =

+ (())

i.e., some function of v(t) equals the RHS which is linear in t. It

may not be possible in all cases to invert this relation to obtain

an explicit expression for v(t).

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Consider a case when it is possible to invert* the relation, i.e.,

there exists an inverse function G-1(v) of G(v). That means if we

apply G-1 on G(v), we should get back v and vice-versa.
[G-1 here should not be confused with 1/G]

Examples,
(a) ln is the inverse function of exp, since ln(exp(s))=s
(b) sin-1 is the inverse function of sin, since sin-1 (sin(s))=s
(c) 1/s is the inverse function of 1/s
(d) is the inverse function of 2

* We ignore here the multivalued-ness of functions. The proper

domain can be decided by a given physical scenario.

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So,

+ ((0))

Now RHS is a function of t only, so we may use v=dx/dt to

solve for x, i.e.,

=

()

(0)

+ 0

+ 0

 ()
= 0 +

+ 0

(Change of integration variable, s=t/m+ 0 )

= 0 +
Suppose

1 s

1 = (),

= +

 ()

= +

where
=
1

()

, i.e., =

= 1

, i.e.,

1
()/

()

 ()

We calculated v(t) and x(t). In some cases we might be interested in

finding v as a function of x. We may be able to do it by eliminating t.

However, we may use the following trick at the very beginning:

=
=

()

( )

( ) ()

= ()

Now we can proceed and try to integrate the LHS for a given functional

form F(v) of F. If inversion is possible we will get v as a function of x.

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Example: =
(Viscous force. We already solved this many times)
Here =

()

1
= ln

So, 1 = exp
Check: 1 () = exp () = exp( ln()) =
1

1 = exp = exp

+ 0

=exp

 ()
=

+ 0

= exp

= 0 +

= (0)

exp

() = +

=exp

+ ln 0

+ 0

+ ln 0

exp ln 0

()

 ()

Write
=
=

= ()

1
=

(())
1 ()
((0)) =

(0)

 ()
If

= , we get

1
2

(0)

( 0 )

( ) + ()

So,

( 0 ) + (0)

( 0 ) + (0)

 ()
()

()

( ) + ()

This may be written as

()

( ) + ()
=

()

Not much progress can be made after this point unless

explicit expressions are known.
If this expression can be solved to obtain x(t), one can use
that in v(x(t)) to obtain v(t), i.e., use x(function of t) in
v(function of x) to obtain v(function of t) or differentiate x(t)
with respect to time.

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Example: =

(Hookes law)
Here =

= = 2

Let 0 = (Take one of the two choices)

(Maximum displacement of the spring from its equilibrium)
0 =0
(The mass comes to rest momentarily at these extreme points)

So, 0

= 2

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So,

( 0 ) + (0)

2

2

()

2 2

()

2 2

In this case it is possible to get a closed form expression for the

integral on the LHS. We get

sin1

Invert the relation to obtain x(t):

() =

(SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION)

Now substitute this in v(x(t)) to obtain v(t), or just differentiate x(t)

with respect to t.