Practice question · Multiple choice
A first-order ODE has a family of solutions and an initial condition picks one out. Why does the physics require the extra condition rather than the equation alone?
Hints
- Two identical pendulums released from different angles obey the same equation.
- What distinguishes them?
Show the answer
A. Because the equation states a LAW and the condition picks a copy
Why
Law and state are separate inputs. Newton’s second law does not tell you where the planet is today, the constant of integration is exactly the room left for that.
Practise First-Order Differential Equations
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