← 2021 Paper 2

UPSC 2021 Maths Optional Paper 2 Q8c — Step-by-Step Solution

20 marks · Section B

Potential flow · Mechanics & Fluid Dynamics · asked 10× in 14 yrs · Read the full method →

Question

For complex potential w=tan⁡−1zw=\tan^{-1}z, show streamlines and equipotential curves are circles. Find velocity at any point; check singularities at z=±iz=\pm i.

Technique

Use tan⁡−1z=(1/(2i))ln⁡((1+iz)/(1−iz))\tan^{-1}z=(1/(2i))\ln((1+iz)/(1-iz)); identify ϕ=Θ/2\phi=\Theta/2, ψ=−ln⁡R/2\psi=-\ln R/2; both equipotentials and streamlines are circles through the branch points.

Solution

Step 1 — Recall tan⁡−1\tan^{-1} in complex form

w=tan⁡−1z=12iln⁡ ⁣(1+iz1−iz)w=\tan^{-1}z=\dfrac{1}{2i}\ln\!\left(\dfrac{1+iz}{1-iz}\right).

(Or equivalently: w=i2ln⁡ ⁣(1−iz1+iz)w=\dfrac{i}{2}\ln\!\left(\dfrac{1-iz}{1+iz}\right).)

Step 2 — Express w=ϕ+iψw=\phi+i\psi

Let 1+iz1−iz=ReiΘ\dfrac{1+iz}{1-iz}=Re^{i\Theta} where R,ΘR,\Theta are real-valued functions of (x,y)(x,y).

Then w=12i(ln⁡R+iΘ)=Θ2−i2ln⁡Rw=\dfrac{1}{2i}(\ln R+i\Theta)=\dfrac{\Theta}{2}-\dfrac{i}{2}\ln R.

ϕ=Θ/2\phi=\Theta/2, ψ=−ln⁡R/2\psi=-\ln R/2.

Step 3 — Compute RR and Θ\Theta

1+iz=1+i(x+iy)=1−y+ix1+iz=1+i(x+iy)=1-y+ix. 1−iz=1+y−ix1-iz=1+y-ix.

1+iz1−iz=(1−y+ix)(1+y−ix)=(1−y+ix)(1+y+ix)(1+y−ix)(1+y+ix)\dfrac{1+iz}{1-iz}=\dfrac{(1-y+ix)}{(1+y-ix)}=\dfrac{(1-y+ix)(1+y+ix)}{(1+y-ix)(1+y+ix)}.

Numerator: (1−y+ix)(1+y+ix)(1-y+ix)(1+y+ix). Expand: (1+ix)2−y2+cross⋅(1+ix)^2-y^2+\text{cross}\cdot… actually (1−y+ix)(1+y+ix)=[(1+ix)−y][(1+ix)+y]=(1+ix)2−y2(1-y+ix)(1+y+ix)=[(1+ix)-y][(1+ix)+y]=(1+ix)^2-y^2.

(1+ix)2=1+2ix−x2(1+ix)^2=1+2ix-x^2. So numerator =1−x2−y2+2ix=1-x^2-y^2+2ix.

Denominator: (1+y)2+x2(1+y)^2+x^2.

So 1+iz1−iz=(1−x2−y2)+2ix(1+y)2+x2\dfrac{1+iz}{1-iz}=\dfrac{(1-x^2-y^2)+2ix}{(1+y)^2+x^2}.

R2=∣numerator∣2/∣denominator∣2=(1−x2−y2)2+4x2[(1+y)2+x2]2R^2=|\text{numerator}|^2/|\text{denominator}|^2=\dfrac{(1-x^2-y^2)^2+4x^2}{[(1+y)^2+x^2]^2}.

Numerator of R2R^2: (1−x2−y2)2+4x2(1-x^2-y^2)^2+4x^2.

Expand: 1−2(x2+y2)+(x2+y2)2+4x2=1+2x2−2y2+(x2+y2)21-2(x^2+y^2)+(x^2+y^2)^2+4x^2=1+2x^2-2y^2+(x^2+y^2)^2.

Hmm let me try 1−2(x2+y2)+(x2+y2)2+4x2=1+2(2x2)−2(x2+y2)+(x2+y2)2=1+(2x2−2y2)+(x2+y2)21-2(x^2+y^2)+(x^2+y^2)^2+4x^2=1+2(2x^2)-2(x^2+y^2)+(x^2+y^2)^2=1+(2x^2-2y^2)+(x^2+y^2)^2.

Factor: (x2+y2)2+2x2−2y2+1=(x2+y2)2+2(x2−y2)+1(x^2+y^2)^2+2x^2-2y^2+1=(x^2+y^2)^2+2(x^2-y^2)+1.

Note (1+x2−y2)2+(2xy)2=1+2(x2−y2)+(x2−y2)2+4x2y2=1+2(x2−y2)+(x2+y2)2(1+x^2-y^2)^2+(2xy)^2=1+2(x^2-y^2)+(x^2-y^2)^2+4x^2 y^2=1+2(x^2-y^2)+(x^2+y^2)^2.

(Used (x2−y2)2+4x2y2=(x2+y2)2(x^2-y^2)^2+4x^2 y^2=(x^2+y^2)^2.)

So R2⋅R^2 \cdotdenom2=(1+x2−y2)2+(2xy)2^2 = (1+x^2-y^2)^2+(2xy)^2, meaning

R2=(1+x2−y2)2+(2xy)2[(1+y)2+x2]2R^2=\dfrac{(1+x^2-y^2)^2+(2xy)^2}{[(1+y)^2+x^2]^2}.

This factors nicely as ∣1+iz∣2|1+iz|^2… let me check. ∣1+iz∣2=(1−y)2+x2|1+iz|^2=(1-y)^2+x^2. Hmm not matching.

Actually, ∣1+iz∣=∣1−y+ix∣=(1−y)2+x2|1+iz|=|1-y+ix|=\sqrt{(1-y)^2+x^2}. And ∣1−iz∣=(1+y)2+x2|1-iz|=\sqrt{(1+y)^2+x^2}.

∣1+iz1−iz∣=∣1+iz∣∣1−iz∣=(1−y)2+x2(1+y)2+x2=R|\dfrac{1+iz}{1-iz}|=\dfrac{|1+iz|}{|1-iz|}=\dfrac{\sqrt{(1-y)^2+x^2}}{\sqrt{(1+y)^2+x^2}}=R.

So R2=(1−y)2+x2(1+y)2+x2R^2=\dfrac{(1-y)^2+x^2}{(1+y)^2+x^2}.

Step 4 — Streamlines: ψ=\psi= const, i.e., R=R= const

R2=x2+(1−y)2x2+(1+y)2=kR^2=\dfrac{x^2+(1-y)^2}{x^2+(1+y)^2}=k (some constant).

Cross-multiply: x2+(1−y)2=k[x2+(1+y)2]x^2+(1-y)^2=k[x^2+(1+y)^2], (1−k)x2+(1−y)2−k(1+y)2=0(1-k)x^2+(1-y)^2-k(1+y)^2=0, (1−k)x2+1−2y+y2−k(1+2y+y2)=0(1-k)x^2+1-2y+y^2-k(1+2y+y^2)=0, (1−k)x2+(1−k)y2−2y−2ky+(1−k)=0(1-k)x^2+(1-k)y^2-2y-2ky+(1-k)=0, (1−k)(x2+y2)−2y(1+k)+(1−k)=0(1-k)(x^2+y^2)-2y(1+k)+(1-k)=0.

Divide by (1−k)(1-k) (assuming k≠1k\ne 1): x2+y2−2(1+k)1−ky+1=0x^2+y^2-\dfrac{2(1+k)}{1-k}y+1=0.

Complete square: x2+ ⁣(y−1+k1−k)2= ⁣(1+k1−k)2−1x^2+\!\left(y-\dfrac{1+k}{1-k}\right)^2=\!\left(\dfrac{1+k}{1-k}\right)^2-1.

Let β=(1+k)/(1−k)\beta=(1+k)/(1-k). Then β2−1=(β−1)(β+1)\beta^2-1=(\beta-1)(\beta+1).

β−1=1+k−(1−k)1−k=2k1−k\beta-1=\dfrac{1+k-(1-k)}{1-k}=\dfrac{2k}{1-k}. β+1=1+k+1−k1−k=21−k\beta+1=\dfrac{1+k+1-k}{1-k}=\dfrac{2}{1-k}.

β2−1=4k(1−k)2\beta^2-1=\dfrac{4k}{(1-k)^2}.

So streamlines are circles x2+(y−β)2=β2−1x^2+(y-\beta)^2=\beta^2-1 with centre (0,β)(0,\beta) on the yy-axis and radius β2−1\sqrt{\beta^2-1}.

Streamlines are circles passing through (0,±1)(0,\pm 1). (These are the points where the radius vanishes, the singularities at z=±iz=\pm i.)

Step 5 — Equipotential curves: ϕ=\phi= const, Θ=\Theta= const

Θ=arg⁡ ⁣(1+iz1−iz)\Theta=\arg\!\left(\dfrac{1+iz}{1-iz}\right). Geometrically, Θ\Theta is the angle subtended by the chord from −i-i to +i+i (the imaginary axis from z=−iz=-i to z=+iz=+i) at the point zz.

By the inscribed-angle theorem, Θ=\Theta= const ⇒ the locus of points where the chord [−i,+i][-i,+i] subtends a constant angle is a circular arc.

Equipotential curves are circles (arcs passing through (0,±1)(0,\pm 1) subtending angle Θ\Theta from these endpoints).

Step 6 — Velocity

dwdz=ddztan⁡−1z=11+z2\dfrac{dw}{dz}=\dfrac{d}{dz}\tan^{-1}z=\dfrac{1}{1+z^2}.

Velocity vector Vˉ=11+z2\bar V=\dfrac{1}{1+z^2}. Magnitude: ∣V∣=1/∣1+z2∣|V|=1/|1+z^2|.

In Cartesian: 1+z2=1+(x+iy)2=1+x2−y2+2ixy1+z^2=1+(x+iy)^2=1+x^2-y^2+2ixy.

∣1+z2∣=(1+x2−y2)2+4x2y2=(1−y2+x2)2+4x2y2|1+z^2|=\sqrt{(1+x^2-y^2)^2+4x^2 y^2}=\sqrt{(1-y^2+x^2)^2+4x^2 y^2}.

Recall: (1+x2−y2)2+(2xy)2=1+2(x2−y2)+(x2+y2)2(1+x^2-y^2)^2+(2xy)^2=1+2(x^2-y^2)+(x^2+y^2)^2 (computed earlier).

Step 7 — Singularities

1+z2=0⇒z=±i1+z^2=0\Rightarrow z=\pm i. So dw/dzdw/dz has poles at z=±iz=\pm i — these are stagnation points in the inverse sense (velocity diverges; physically, the flow streamlines converge there).

w=tan⁡−1zw=\tan^{-1}z itself has branch points at z=±iz=\pm i (the logarithm form ln⁡((1+iz)/(1−iz))/2i\ln((1+iz)/(1-iz))/2i has logarithmic singularities there).

So z=±iz=\pm i are logarithmic branch points of ww.

Answer

  Streamlines and equipotentials are circles through (0,±1);  V=1/(1+z2);  branch points at z=±i.  \boxed{\;\text{Streamlines and equipotentials are circles through }(0,\pm 1);\;V=1/(1+z^2);\;\text{branch points at }z=\pm i.\;}
We post more of this — worked solutions, CSAT trap breakdowns, guide chapters — a few times a week on Telegram. Free, no sign-in. Join

This solution is part of the Maths Coverage Map — 14 years, mapped. Get the take-away PDF free.