Paper 2, Section I, A

Methods
Part IB, 2010

Consider the initial value problem

Lx(t)=f(t),x(0)=0,x˙(0)=0,t0,\mathcal{L} x(t)=f(t), \quad x(0)=0, \quad \dot{x}(0)=0, \quad t \geqslant 0,

where L\mathcal{L} is a second-order linear operator involving differentiation with respect to tt. Explain briefly how to solve this by using a Green's function.

Now consider

x¨(t)={a0tT0T<t<\ddot{x}(t)= \begin{cases}a & 0 \leqslant t \leqslant T \\ 0 & T<t<\infty\end{cases}

where aa is a constant, subject to the same initial conditions. Solve this using the Green's function, and explain how your answer is related to a problem in Newtonian dynamics.