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Another interesting question. Given we can move between mechanical and electrical systems with circuit theory. Are their other systems that we could apply circu

Another interesting question. Given we can move between mechanical and electrical systems with circuit theory. Are their other systems that we could apply circuit theory to (i.e. non electrical and non mechanical systems). Light and space circuits for example?

Derbasti 16y ago
Audio Systems consist of electrical circuits (amplifier, player), mechanical circuits (loudspeaker-membrane) and acoustical circuits (air, room acoustics). All these parts can be modeled as circuits that directly interact with each other. You can actually calculate the electrical properties of the mechano-acoustical loudspeaker+room or the acoustical properties of the electro-mechanical loudspeaker+amp. This is extremely helpful when designing loudspeakers since you can see the electrical, mechanical and acoustical properties all in one notation.
- ticktock 16y ago
  I once heard an undergrad talk about his crazy professor reproducing digital circuit theory with microwaves running through copper pipes... we were drunk at the time - not sure if there was anything to it, but it sounded plausible.
AlexandrB 16y ago
A classic one is heat transfer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumped_capacitance_model http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumped_capacitance_model You can also model some hydraulic systems using components analogous to electronics (flow=current, pressure=voltage, pipes=resistance). For example a certain pressure applied to a pipe of given size (cross-section + length) and material will result in a predictable rate of flow.
kwantam 16y ago
Basically any LTI differential equation can be modeled as a network of Rs, Ls, and Cs. You can get fancier if you want by adding nonlinear elements. In other words, anything you can describe as a differential equation has an analogous circuit. In fact, I've read the claim (though I cannot, for the moment, find the reference) that the term analog was first applied to circuits which were being built to solve LTI differential equations: the circuit was the analogue of the equation, thus it was an analogue (eventually, just analog) circuit.

Derbasti 16y ago

Audio Systems consist of electrical circuits (amplifier, player), mechanical circuits (loudspeaker-membrane) and acoustical circuits (air, room acoustics). All these parts can be modeled as circuits that directly interact with each other. You can actually calculate the electrical properties of the mechano-acoustical loudspeaker+room or the acoustical properties of the electro-mechanical loudspeaker+amp. This is extremely helpful when designing loudspeakers since you can see the electrical, mechanical and acoustical properties all in one notation.

ticktock 16y ago
I once heard an undergrad talk about his crazy professor reproducing digital circuit theory with microwaves running through copper pipes... we were drunk at the time - not sure if there was anything to it, but it sounded plausible.

AlexandrB 16y ago

A classic one is heat transfer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumped_capacitance_model http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumped_capacitance_model You can also model some hydraulic systems using components analogous to electronics (flow=current, pressure=voltage, pipes=resistance). For example a certain pressure applied to a pipe of given size (cross-section + length) and material will result in a predictable rate of flow.

kwantam 16y ago

Basically any LTI differential equation can be modeled as a network of Rs, Ls, and Cs. You can get fancier if you want by adding nonlinear elements. In other words, anything you can describe as a differential equation has an analogous circuit. In fact, I've read the claim (though I cannot, for the moment, find the reference) that the term analog was first applied to circuits which were being built to solve LTI differential equations: the circuit was the analogue of the equation, thus it was an analogue (eventually, just analog) circuit.