An interesting track for the Brachistochrone
Abstract
If a particle has to fall first vertically 1 m from A and then move horizontally 1 m to B, it takes a time s. Under gravity and without friction, if it sides down on a linear track inclined at between two points A and B of 1 m height, it takes time s. Between these two extremes, historically, Bernoulli (1718) proved that the fastest track between these points A and B is cycloid with the least time of descent s. Apart from other interesting cases, here we study the frictionless motion of a particle/bead on an interesting track/wire between A and B given by For the track becomes convex and , and when , the motion with zero initial speed is not possible. We find that when and when . But most remarkably, the concave curve becomes very steep/deep if , then s , this is as though a particle would travel 1 meter horizontally with a speed equal m/sec to take the time (. The function ) suffers a jump discontinuity at , we offer some resolution.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2010.15514,
title = {An interesting track for the Brachistochrone},
author = {Zafar Ahmed and Amal Nathan Joseph},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2010.15514},
year = {2020}
}
Comments
5 pages and 3 figures