Numerical Approximation

You have some Physics equation or equations which need to be solved But: You cant or dont want to do all that mathematics, or The equations can not be solved

What to do? Numerical Approximation

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Numerical Approximation Module

Based on the Python programming language and the Visual Python package VPython We will investigate a system that you will soon or have already be exploring in some detail in the course: the oscillating spring-mass system

Numerical Approximation

About Python and VPython

An ideal 1st programming language Not a toy: used for production programs by Google, YouTube, etc. Open source Traditionally for all languages, for beginners the first program only prints: hello, world

Numerical Approximation

Here is a complete Python program that prints: hello, world

print hello, world

Note the quotes Totally intolerant of typing mistakes: this will not work

prind hello, world

Case sensitive: this wont work either

Print hello, world

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The VPython environment

Here is a VPython window ready to run our first program To run the program, click on Run and choose Run Module
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A second window will appear:

Numerical Approximation

Another complete Python program that prints hello, world

A variable is given the named what value world

what = world print hello,, what

First Python executes the first line of the program Next Python executes the second line of the program: it prints hello, followed by the value of the variable what
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Loops
Often we wish to have a program execute the same lines over and over Loops do this Assign variable x a value of 0 Example: Is x less than 3? If so, execute the x = 0 following lines of while x < 3: program. If not, stop print x Increase the value of x = x + 1 x by 1. Go back to the while statement
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The Spring-Mass System

The force exerted on the mass by the spring: F = -k x (Hookes Law) F=ma (Newtons Second Law) Combine to form a differential equation:

d x ma m 2 kx dt
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Solving Differential Equations

1. Learn the math, or
2. Find a mathematician, or

d x m 2 kx dt

3. Get hold of software that can solve differential equations, such as Maple or Mathematica If you choose #2, note that you dont need to tell them what, if anything, the equation is about Solving differential equations has nothing to do with Physics!
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The Mathematical Solution

x A sin(t )
d x m 2 kx dt
2

k m

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Avoiding all that mathematics

Recall: ma = -kx
At some time t we know the position x of the mass and its speed v

1. Calculate the acceleration a = - (k/m) x 2. Calculate its speed a small time Dt later: vnew = v + a Dt 3. Calculate its position a small time Dt later: xnew = x + vnew Dt Go back to #1 and repeat over and over
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Avoiding all that mathematics continued

1. Calculate the acceleration a = - (k/m) x 2. Calculate its speed a small time Dt later: vnew = v + a Dt 3. Calculate its position a small time Dt later: xnew = x + vnew Dt Go back to #1 and repeat over and over.
This method is numerical approximation

This can be made as close to correct as we desire by making the time step Dt sufficiently small
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What you will do today

We have prepared a VPython program that animates the mass of a spring-mass system two different ways: 1. By coding the solution to the differential equation 2. By numerical approximation You will examine the code and identify which parts do what

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