Re: [Phys-L] Falling - the tale of a simple 1st degree non-linear ODE

[bernard cleyet <bernard@cleyet.org>]

This is beyond the usual capability of intro. students, so Eisberg and Lerner “do it” numerically.  They call it the skydiver problem.  

They give the ODE solution for the faithful students, as a cheque of the accuracy of the numerical.  

bc   Eisberg’s reader (QM) and MA student (oxygen-electron attachment in a multi-wire ionization chamber) at UCSB. (ca 1965)   

I haven’t read it recently to know if linear drag is discussed applicable initially.  (Well ..  obviously for the first microseconds.)


> On 2019/Jan/13, at 11:00, Carl Mungan via Phys-l <phys-l@mail.phys-l.org> wrote:
>
> Noting that the drag force has the same v^2 dependence as the KE, one can
> straightforwardly integrate in 1D:
>
> https://www.usna.edu/Users/physics/mungan/_files/documents/Publications/EJP3.pdf <https://www.usna.edu/Users/physics/mungan/_files/documents/Publications/EJP3.pdf>
>
>
> On Sat, Jan 12, 2019 at 10:21 PM brian whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net <mailto:betwys1@sbcglobal.net>>
> wrote:
>
> > I am pleased to use some of my dotage in answering questions on Quora.
> > I found this one strangely interesting:
> >  How long does it take a jumper to reach terminal velocity?