Questions related to the application of Mathematica to problems in physics.
20
votes
6answers
2k views
Circuit drawing in Mathematica
This past semester I taught an introductory electromagnetism course and had quite a nice time using Mathematica to draw all sorts of figures and diagrams (mostly for problems and etc.). However, I was ...
20
votes
6answers
698 views
ColorData[“VisibleSpectrum”] is wrong?
I am trying to visualize the visible spectrum using the built-in ColorData["VisibleSpectrum"] function which "colors based on light wavelength in nanometers". But I ...
19
votes
0answers
892 views
Measuring fractal dimension of natural objects from digital images
This is a useful topic. A college physics lab, medical diagnostics, urban growth, etc. - there is a lot of applications. On this site by Paul Bourke about Google Earth fractals we can get a high ...
15
votes
1answer
256 views
The Orbit and Perigee of the Flamsteed comet
Historical context
This year we have the 330-th anniversary of the Battle of Vienna - one of the great formative events of European history, it took place on September 12, 1683.
Kara Mustafa, Grand ...
14
votes
3answers
400 views
Create an adaptive amount of local variables for error propagation
I intend to write a function which calculates the result and the error for any formula with any amount of variables using the Gauß Error Propagation.
The error $dR$ for a function $R(a,b,c)\,$ and ...
13
votes
3answers
436 views
Constructing a symbolic Hermitian matrix
I need to construct a symbolic Hermitian matrix like
m = {
{ n, a, b, b},
{Conjugate[a], n, b, b},
...
}
but I am not able to set ...
6
votes
1answer
382 views
Interactive steam tables and phase diagrams in Mathematica
I teach an undergraduate course in Thermodynamics and I would love to use Mathematica to demonstrate the various engineering processes that involve the expansions and compressions of steam and common ...
5
votes
1answer
702 views
NDSolve, Schrödinger equation, and decaying solution
I am trying to solve a Schrödinger equation for a particle hitting a step potential using NDSolve in Mathematica. Here is my code:
...
4
votes
3answers
323 views
How to manipulate gauge theory in Mathematica?
I want to know if there is a way of typing into Mathematica an expression like the following,
$$\epsilon^{\mu \nu \lambda} f^{abc} A^a_\mu A^b_\nu A^c_\lambda + g\epsilon^{\mu \nu \lambda} A^a_\mu ...
4
votes
1answer
255 views
How to change coordinates of a differential operator?
I'm doing a basic quantum mechanics problem and am trying to learn how to do it in Mathematica. Any help would be much appreciated.
$\vec{L} = \vec{x} \times \vec{p}$
where $\vec{x}$ has ...
4
votes
1answer
198 views
Drawing a graph with specified edge lengths
I was wondering if it was possible to ask Mathematica to draw a graph provided some set of vertices: $(v_1, ..., v_N) \in V$ connected by $M$ edges $(e_1, ..., e_M) \in E$, where the length of each ...
4
votes
1answer
281 views
How to start simulating physical problems?
I'm quite new to Mathematica, I have version 9. I need to use it to simulate some physical problems. I know the equations (like Maxwell's equations and Newton's laws and so on), but I have no real ...
4
votes
1answer
354 views
Computing Slater determinants
I need to compute Slater determinants. I'm wondering if I would benefit from assigning each of my functions to a variable prior to computation. I'm working with Slater determinants, but my question ...
3
votes
1answer
111 views
Extending D for four-derivatives
I'm currently trying to consistently define rules for extending D[] to four-derivatives. As 'backend' I'm using the package TRACER (http://library.wolfram.com/infocenter/MathSource/2987/), which can ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
NDSolve with vector function
(Possible duplicate yet I still can't understand.)
Basic 2D revolving around origin:
...
2
votes
1answer
144 views
Need more float precision
I have a Physics problem which huge and tiny numbers and Mathematica just gives me a speed of my particles which is the speed of light. Then $1/\sqrt{1-v^2/c^2}$ becomes singular.
If I use smaller ...
2
votes
0answers
90 views
UnitConvert: the square of a dimensionless quantity is not dimensionless
This is pretty ridiculous. Look at the following code:
UnitConvert[Quantity["FineStructureConstant"], 1]^2
0.0000532513545
...
2
votes
0answers
63 views
List of supported units in Mathematica 9 [duplicate]
Is there a list of supported units in Mathematica 9 documentation? I personal haven't found any; even the physical constants (newly supported as units in 9) can only be found in compatibility ...
1
vote
2answers
167 views
Doing vector manipulations on Mathematica
This is hopefully a simpler version of this previous unanswered question of mine.
Let me just focus on the two expressions $F_2^{(s)}$ and $F_3^{(s)}$ given in A.3 and A.4 of page 19 of this paper. ...
1
vote
2answers
211 views
Inputting two arrays for a module in Mathematica
I am relatively new to the Mathematica enviroment and not sure where I am going wrong. I have evaluated the question and understand it, but dont know how to exactly create a module for it.
The ...
1
vote
0answers
175 views
Kramers-Kronig Mathematica code
I'm trying to write Mathematica code to use Kramers-Kronig on a csv file with 2 columns. Column 1 is h(eV). It goes from 0 to 6, in increments of 0.1. Column 2 is alpha (cm^-1). For some reason, my ...
1
vote
0answers
68 views
Getting poles of a Gamma functions
Why do the following 2 sequences give different answers?
n = 1.5
Series[Gamma[0.5 - n - x], {x, 0, 2}]
Series[Gamma[-1 - x], {x, 0, 2}]
(..clearly the output from the second expression is ...
0
votes
1answer
271 views
How can I make a plot of the Higgs potential?
I was wondering, how would could I make a drawing of the Higgs potential aka "mexican hat potential". I am quite new to Mathematica and don't know where to look to learn how to implement such a ...
0
votes
2answers
70 views
Reduce on equations involving integrals
Here's part of problem from a college physics text:
A time-dependent force F = (8.00 i - 4.00 t j) N (where t is in
seconds) is applied to a 2.00-kg object initially at rest. (a) At what
time ...
0
votes
1answer
99 views
High quantum harmonic eigenfunctions?
How to obtain high quantum harmonic eigenfunctions? Everything works until, let say 65th eigenfunction, but for higher eigenfunctions values are too high.
My code
...
0
votes
1answer
72 views
Plotting results of numerical differential equation
I'm numerically solving the ODE equation $a = -kv$, i.e. $ x'' = -kx'$.
sol = NDSolve[{y''[x] + 0.1 * y'[x] == 0, y[0] == 0, y'[0] == 10}, y, {x, 0, 100}]
I need ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
Doing vector manipulations in Mathematica (Part 2)
Inspired by the answer from Simon Woods, here, Doing vector manipulations on Mathematica, I thought of doing the intended vector manipulation in the following way but it didn't work!
...
