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Laplace_Equation_Separation_of_Variables

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33 views2 pages

Laplace_Equation_Separation_of_Variables

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riddaazainab512
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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LAPLACE EQUATION in 2D (Solution)

Subject: Differential Equations Course Code: MTH242


Instructor: Dr. Sohail Ahmad Class: BSCS-VI

Question:

Find solution of 2D Laplace Equation using method of Separation of Variables.

Solution:
The Laplace equation is given by:
∂2u ∂2u
+ 2 = 0,
∂x2 ∂y
where u(x, y) is the solution of Laplace equation.
According to the method of Separation of Variables We assume a solution of the form:
u(x, y) = X(x)Y (y),
where X(x) is a function of x only, and Y (y) is a function of y only. Substituting u(x, y) = X(x)Y (y)
into the Laplace equation gives:
∂ 2 (XY ) ∂ 2 (XY )
+ = 0,
∂x2 ∂y 2
we have
d2 X(x) d2 Y (y)
Y (y) + X(x) = 0.
dx2 dy 2
Divide by X(x)Y (y) (assuming X(x) ̸= 0 and Y (y) ̸= 0):
1 d2 Y (y) 1 d2 X(x)
= −
Y (y) dy 2 X(x) dx2
The left-hand side depends only on x, and the right-hand side depends only on y. Therefore, both sides
must equal a constant, which we denote by −λ:
1 d2 X(x) 1 d2 Y (y)
= −λ, = λ.
X(x) dx2 Y (y) dy 2
This gives two ordinary differential equations:

d2 X(x)
• dx2 + λX(x) = 0, and
2
d Y (y)
• dy 2 − λY (y) = 0.
We solve the above two ODEs:
Case 1: λ > 0 Let λ = k 2 , where k > 0.
For X(x):
d2 X(x)
+ k 2 X(x) = 0 =⇒ X(x) = A cos(kx) + B sin(kx).
dx2
For Y (y):
d2 Y (y)
− k 2 Y (y) = 0 =⇒ Y (y) = Ceky + De−ky .
dy 2
Case 2: λ = 0
If λ = 0, the ODEs reduce to:

d2 X(x)
=0 =⇒ X(x) = A + Bx,
dx2

d2 Y (y)
=0 =⇒ Y (y) = C + Dy.
dy 2

1
Case 3:λ < 0 Let λ = −k 2 , where k > 0. For X(x):

d2 X(x)
− k 2 X(x) = 0 =⇒ X(x) = Aekx + Be−kx .
dx2
For Y (y):
d2 Y (y)
+ k 2 Y (y) = 0 =⇒ Y (y) = C cos(ky) + D sin(ky).
dy 2
The general solution:
u(x, y) = Aekx + Be−kx [C cos(ky) + D sin(ky)] ,
 

∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗∗
Question No. 02:
2 2
Solve the laplace equation ∂∂xu2 + ∂∂yu2 = 0, satisfying the conditions:
u(0, y) = u(L, y) = u(x, 0) = 0 and u(x, a) = sin( πx L )

Solution:
T RY
∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗∗

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