Tutorial sheet -5

Q1. Solve the following first order partial differential equations by separating the variables: (a) (b)
u u x =0 x y x u u 2 y =0 y y

Q2. A semi-infinite rectangular metal plate occupies the region 0 x and 0 y b in the x-y plane. The temperature at the far end of the plate and along its two long sides is fixed at 0C. If the temperature of the plate at x=0 is also fixed and is given by f ( y ) , fine the steady state temperature distribution u ( x, y ) of the plate. Hence find the temperature distribution if f ( y ) = u 0 , where u 0 is a constant. Q3. Obtain a separable solution describing a particle confined to a box of side a ( must vanish at the walls of the box). Show that the energy of the particle can only take the quantized values
E= 2 2 2 2 2 ( nx + n y + nz ) , 2 2ma

where nx ,

ny

and

nz

are integers.

Q4.The wave equation describing the transverse vibrations of a stretched membrane under tension T and having a uniform surface density is
T( 2u 2u 2u + 2) = 2 x 2 y t

Find a separable solution appropriate to a membrane stretched on a frame of length a and width b, showing that the natural angular frequencies of such a membrane are given by
2 = 2T n 2 m 2 ( + ) a 2 b2

Where n and m are any positive integers

2 2 2 Q5. Denoting the three terms of in spherical polars by , , in an r 2 obvious way, evaluate u , etc. For the two functions given below and verify r
2

that, in each case, although the individual terms are not necessarily zero their 2 sum u is zero. Identify the corresponding values of l and m. (a)
u ( r , , ) = ( Ar 2 + B 3 cos 2 1 ) r3 2

(b) u (r , , ) = ( Ar +

B ) sin exp i r2

Q6. A circular disc of radius a is heated in such a way that its perimeter = a has a steady temperature distribution A + B cos 2 , where and are plane polar coordinates, A and B are constants. Find the temperature T ( , ) everywhere in the region < a . Q7. Prove that the potential for < a associated with a vertical split cylinder of radius a, the two halves of which (cos > 0 and cos < 0) are maintained at equal and opposite potentials V, is given by
u ( , ) = 4V

=0 n

( 1) n 2 n +1 ( ) cos( 2n +1) 2n +1 a

Q8. Two identical copper bars each of length a. Initially one is at 0 C and the other at 100 C ; they are then joined together end to end and thermally isolated. Obtain in the form of a Fourier series an expression u ( x, t ) for the temperature at any point a distance x from the join at a later timet. Bear in mind the heat flow conditions at the free ends of the bar. Taking a=0.5m estimate the time it takes for one of the free ends to attain a temperature of 55 C . The thermal conductivity of copper is 3.8x102Jm-1K-1s-1, and its specific heat capacity is 3.4x106Jm-3K-1.