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Are there any practical applications of third order (or higher) derivatives and integrals?

Question #126640. Asked by nautilator.
Last updated Aug 11 2021.
Originally posted Aug 20 2012 12:24 AM.

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looney_tunes star
Answer has 4 votes
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looney_tunes star
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Answer has 4 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
In terms of moving objects, the third order derivative of position as a function of time is called 'jerk', a measure of how quickly acceleration is changing with time. When I was in college, I learned to call it the surge.

From Wikipedia: "If x(t) represents the position of an object at time t, then the higher-order derivatives of x have physical interpretations. The second derivative of x is the derivative of x?(t), the velocity, and by definition this is the object's acceleration. The third derivative of x is defined to be the jerk, and the fourth derivative is defined to be the jounce."

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derivative

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerk_%28physics%29

Obviously, if you know about this function, you would be interested in the third antiderivative in order to find the position as a function of time. The fourth derivative, which corresponds to the rate of change of jerk with respect to time, is called the jounce.

"The fourth, fifth and sixth derivatives of position as a function of time are 'sometimes somewhat facetiously' referred to as 'Snap', 'Crackle' and 'Pop'."

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jounce




Aug 20 2012, 4:15 AM
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timence star
Answer has 2 votes
timence star
23 year member
123 replies avatar

Answer has 2 votes.
Absoultely! There are many...for example, in engineering and construction, finding particular areas underneath a specific shapes needs higher order calculus. There are also applications in economics, stronomy and physics (to name a few).

link http://calculus.nipissingu.ca/calc_app.html

link http://www.ehow.com/info_8524020_uses-calculus-real-life.html

Response last updated by CmdrK on Aug 11 2021.
Aug 20 2012, 4:18 AM
TimBentley
Answer has 2 votes
TimBentley
12 year member
83 replies

Answer has 2 votes.
A specific use of jerk (the third-order derivative) is in roller coasters, where passengers and equipment can only safely withstand a maximum jerk.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerk_%28physics%29#Applications
link http://wordpress.mrreid.org/2013/12/11/jerk-jounce-snap-crackle-and-pop/

Response last updated by satguru on Dec 03 2016.
Aug 20 2012, 8:21 AM
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nautilator
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nautilator
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13 year member
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Thanks, I had never heard of the jerk, jounce, and so forth before.

The only application I knew of for higher orders like these was using a triple integral to find the volume of an object all three of whose sides vary. If a triple integral can be used in that way, is there any use for a quadruple integral (or higher) to extend that process for any additional practical applications?

Aug 20 2012, 8:34 PM
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