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Bessel Function Assignment

Bessel functions are solutions to Bessel's differential equation, crucial for problems with cylindrical symmetry, including applications in heat conduction and quantum mechanics. Named after Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, these functions are used to solve various physical problems where standard functions fall short. The document includes example problems demonstrating the use of Bessel functions in mathematical methods of physics.

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Meraab Mughal
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93 views3 pages

Bessel Function Assignment

Bessel functions are solutions to Bessel's differential equation, crucial for problems with cylindrical symmetry, including applications in heat conduction and quantum mechanics. Named after Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, these functions are used to solve various physical problems where standard functions fall short. The document includes example problems demonstrating the use of Bessel functions in mathematical methods of physics.

Uploaded by

Meraab Mughal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BESSEL FUNCTION

Presented By:
22011510-098
22011510-062
22011510-052
22011510-096
22011510-072
22011510-006

Submitted to
Dr Ibraheem
Bessel Functions in Mathematical
Methods of Physics
1. What is a Bessel Function?
Bessel functions are canonical solutions to Bessel's differential equation:

x² d²y/dx² + x dy/dx + (x² - n²)y = 0

These functions are especially important in problems exhibiting cylindrical symmetry. The
two main types are:
- Bessel functions of the first kind, Jₙ(x)
- Bessel functions of the second kind, Yₙ(x)

Where n is the order of the Bessel function and can be an integer or a half-integer.

Submitted to Dr Ibraheem

2. Who Introduced Bessel Functions?


Bessel functions are named after Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, a German astronomer and
mathematician, who introduced them in the early 19th century. However, they were studied
earlier by mathematicians like Daniel Bernoulli and Leonhard Euler in connection with
vibrating membranes and related problems.

3. Why Do We Use Bessel Functions in Mathematical Methods of Physics?


Bessel functions frequently appear in solutions to partial differential equations in
cylindrical or spherical coordinates. Applications include:
- Heat conduction in cylindrical objects
- Vibrations of a circular drum membrane
- Electromagnetic waves in cylindrical waveguides
- Quantum mechanics problems with radial symmetry

These functions help express physical phenomena in systems where other elementary
functions do not suffice.

4. Example Problem with Solution


Problem 1: Solve the differential equation:
x² d²y/dx² + x dy/dx + (x² - 4)y = 0

Solution:

This is a Bessel differential equation of order n = 2. The general solution is:


y(x) = C₁ J₂(x) + C₂ Y₂(x)
where:
- J₂(x) is the Bessel function of the first kind of order 2
- Y₂(x) is the Bessel function of the second kind of order 2
- C₁ and C₂ are constants determined by boundary conditions.

Hence, the solution involves a linear combination of Bessel functions of order 2.

Problem 2: Find J₁(1.5) using the series expansion for Jₙ(x):

Jₙ(x) = ∑ₘ₌₀^∞ [(-1)^m / (m! Γ(m + n + 1))] * (x/2)^(2m + n)

Solution:

Let n = 1 and x = 1.5. We'll use the first three terms in the series:

J₁(1.5) ≈ (1/Γ(2))(0.75)^1 - (1/1!Γ(3))(0.75)^3 + (1/2!Γ(4))(0.75)^5

Recall that Γ(n+1) = n!, so:


- Γ(2) = 1! = 1
- Γ(3) = 2! = 2
- Γ(4) = 3! = 6

Compute each term:


- First term: 0.75
- Second term: -(0.75)^3 / 2 = -0.211
- Third term: (0.75)^5 / (2*6) ≈ 0.008

Adding them gives:


J₁(1.5) ≈ 0.75 - 0.211 + 0.008 = 0.547

So, J₁(1.5) ≈ 0.547 using the first three terms of the series expansion.

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