Discussion
First Order Equation Application on Orthogonal Trajectories
The electrostatic field created by a positive point charge is pictured as a collection of
straight lines which radiate away from the charge. Using the fact that the equipotentials (surfaces
of constant electric potential) are orthogonal the electric field lines, determine the geometry of
the equipotenitials of a point charge.
Firstly, from the general equation that we get, we use separable method for the first order
equation. As we know the equation is separable, the solution can be proceed as follows :
𝑑𝑑 𝑑
= −
𝑑𝑑 𝑑
𝑑𝑑𝑑 = −𝑑𝑑𝑑
∫ 𝑑𝑑𝑑 = ∫ − 𝑑𝑑𝑑
1 2
1 2
𝑑 = − 𝑑 + 𝑑′
2 2
2 2 2
𝑑 +𝑑 =𝑑
2
where 𝑑 = 2𝑑′
Secondly, to determine the orthogonal trajectories of the family circles by the tangent to the
𝑑axis at the origin. Next step is to determine an expression for the slope of the curves in this
family that does not involve the parameter 𝑑.
By implicit differentiation,
2 2 2
𝑑 + (𝑑 − 𝑑) =𝑑
2 2
𝑑 +𝑑 = 2𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑
2𝑑 + 2𝑑 = 2𝑑
𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑 𝑑
=
𝑑𝑑 𝑑 − 𝑑
To eliminate c, note that
2 2 2
𝑑 + (𝑑 − 𝑑) =𝑑
2 2
𝑑 +𝑑 = 2𝑑𝑑
2 2
𝑑 +𝑑
𝑑=
2𝑑
𝑑𝑑
The expression for
𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑 𝑑
=
𝑑𝑑 𝑑−𝑑
𝑑 2𝑑𝑑
=
𝑑 2+𝑑 2 𝑑 2−𝑑 2
−𝑑
2𝑑
The differential equation describing the orthogonal trajectories
𝑑𝑑 𝑑 2 − 𝑑 2
=
𝑑𝑑 2𝑑𝑑
2 2
(𝑑 −𝑑 )𝑑𝑑 − 2𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑 = 0
Note that is not exact (since 𝑑𝑑 = 2 but 𝑑𝑑 = −2𝑑).
However, because the equation
𝑑𝑑−𝑑𝑑 2𝑑−(−2𝑑) 2
= =− 𝑑
𝑑 −2𝑑𝑑
is a function of x alone, the differential equation has
∫ (−2/𝑑)𝑑𝑑
𝜇 =𝑑
−2𝑑𝑑 𝑑 𝑑𝑑(𝑑 −2 )
𝑑 =𝑑
−2
=𝑑
−2
By integrating factor, after multiplying through by 𝜇 = 𝑥 , the differential equation
describing the desired family of orthogonal trajectories becomes
−2 2 −1
(𝑥 𝑥 − 1)𝑥𝑥 − 2𝑥 𝑥𝑥𝑥 = 0
−2
Which is now exact (because 𝑥𝑥 = 2𝑥 𝑥 = 𝑥𝑥). Since
−2 2 −1 2
∫ 𝑥𝑥𝑥 = ∫ (𝑥 𝑥 − 1)𝑥𝑥 = −𝑥 𝑥 −𝑥
And
−1 −1 2
∫ 𝑥𝑥𝑥 = ∫ (−2𝑥 𝑥)𝑥𝑥 = −𝑥 𝑥
The solution of the differential equation is
−1 2
−𝑥 𝑥 − 𝑥 = −2𝑥
-2 is constant because -2c rather than as c will apparent in the following calculation,
−1 2
−𝑥 𝑥 − 𝑥 = −2𝑥
−1 2
𝑥 𝑥 + 𝑥 = 2𝑥
2 2
𝑥 +𝑥 = 2𝑥𝑥
2 2 2
(𝑥 − 𝑥) +𝑥 =𝑥
