Q30E

Question

Aging spring. As a spring ages, its “spring constant” decreases on value. One such model for a mass-spring system with an aging spring is

mx"(t)+bx'(t)+ke-ηt x(t)=0

where m is the mass, the damping constant, k and η positive constants and x(t) displacement of the spring from equilibrium position. Let m=1 kg, b=2 N sec/m, k=1 N/m, η =1 sec-1. The system is set in motion by displacing the mass 1m from it equilibrium position and releasing it (x(0)=1, x'(0)=0). Find at least the first four nonzero terms in a power series expansion of about t=0 of displacement. 

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer

The first four nonzero terms in a power series expansion of about of displacement are x(t)=1-1/2t2+1/2t3-1/4t4+... .

1Define power series expansion:

The power series approach is used in mathematics to find a power series solution to certain differential equations. In general, such a solution starts with an unknown power series and then plugs that solution into the differential equation to obtain a recurrence relation for the coefficients. 

A differential equation's power series solution is a function with an infinite number of terms, each holding a different power of the dependent variable. 

It is generally given by the formula,

y(x)=Σn=0 anxn

2Find the expression:

Given,

mx"(t)+bx'(t)+ke-ηt x(t)=0 

Let

x(t)=Σn=0 antn

Taking derivative of the above equation,

x'(t)=Σn=1 nantn-1

x"(t)=Σn=2 n(n-1)antn-2

The Maclaurin series is,

e-t = ∑n=0∞  (-t)n/n!

= ∑n=0∞  (-1)n tn/n! 

Replace this in the equation.

n=2 n(n-1)antn-2+2 ∑n=1 nantn-1 +∑n=0 (-1)tn/n! +∑n=0antn=0


You will set coefficients equal to zero. The expression is,

2a2+2a1+a0=0

a2= - (2a1+a0)/2


Hence the expression is a2= - (2a1+a0)/2.

3Find the first four nonzero terms:

Now you will find the coefficient.

a2= - (2a1+a0)/2

= -[2 (0)+1]/2

=-1/2


6a3+4a2-a0+a1=0

a3=(a0-a1 -4a2)/6

= -[4(-1/2)+1-0]/6

=1/2


12a4+6a3+1/2a0-a1+a2=0

a4= (-6a3-1/2a0+a1-a2)/12

=[-6(1/2)-1/2(1)+0-(-1/2)]/12

= -1/4


Substitute the coefficients in the expression.

x(t)=1-1/2t2+1/2t3-1/4t4+...


Hence, the first four nonzero terms are x(t)=1-1/2t2+1/2t3-1/4t4+....