Lecture #3 - Dimensional Analysis

- corollary: the expansion of any taylor series must be dimensionless

- this means that functions that can be expanded (power series) should n
ot have dimensions
- prof. will disregard this rule only once in lecture
- values with different units but same dimension ([L] MILES v. METERS) can be ma
nipulated (added and subtracted) BUT values with different dimensions (LENGTH v.
MASS) cannot be manipulated
Egg Drop 1 Slide:
- WHY DOESN'T MASS MATTER in calculations involving items falling vertically?
- (note that it does matter in empirical experiments/real conditions)
- ANSWER = dimensional analysis shows that dimensions are not compatiabl
e
[T] = [L]/([M][L])/[T^2]
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v
[T] = [L}[T^2]/[M][L] = [T^2]/[M]
- RULE: if dimension shows up in input and nowhere in the expected result the di
mension cannot be anywhere in the final equation used --> must somehow be cancel
ed out
Egg Drop 2 Slide:
how fast is the egg going before hitting the ground
V = [M]*[L]/[T^2]*(1/[L]) --> this dimensional analysis is incorrect because the
units for velocity = m/s so the DA should not have mass anywhere in it. Also ti
me is not squared
Baseball Throw Slide:
How far can you throw a baseball? Looking for [L]
Possible quantities to inclide in the answer:
#1. v0 - speed of ball as it is thrown
#2. theta - angle able the ground at which it is thrown
#3. g - acceleration due to gravity
34. H- max height that baseball reaches
#5. m - mass of the baseball
# 1 should be included in answer/calculations as it effects length # 2 should NO
T be included because angle is a dimensionless quantity so can NOT be apart of o
ur dimensional analysis
note - whenever we talk about angles use radians
FACT: arclength (s) = radius*theta
# 3 should be included because it has dimensions, it's a known quantity, and it
effects the answer # 4 should NOT be included because how far it goes is not a f
unction of how high it goes (also it is not a known quantity/input quantity)
Egg Throw Slide
egg thrown sideways find range
input quantities =
m [M]
H [L]
g [L]/[T^2]
v0 [L]/[T]

find range [L] = H*g/v0 = [L][L][T]/[L][T^2]

ANSWER = dimensional analysis alone cannot solve this problem, not enough info i
n the problem --> end up with 2 equaations and 3 unknowns