Mathemathical modelling

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,159
Sure. The physics of any mechanical system can be formulated by identifying a set of "state variables". These state variables describe everything that one needs to know about the "state" of the system. You know that you have enough state variables if adding another one provides no new information. You know that you have too many if one of them can be derived from the remaining variables.

Once the state variables have been identified we need to find mathematical relationships that describe the dynamics. In this case it would involve the volume of the liquids in the three tanks and flows in and out. Depending on the system and the fluids (gases) it might also involve temperature and pressure. As for relationships you might look into Bernoulli's equation or the ideal gas law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli%27s_principle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_gas_law
 
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