3 ms·
The ball could stay there forever, but it could also start moving down along the shape at any point in time Only if the fourth derivative spontaneously changes
by orangecat 3y ago
The ball could stay there forever, but it could also start moving down along the shape at any point in time
Only if the fourth derivative spontaneously changes from zero to nonzero. It doesn't seem any more surprising than the conditions f(0)=f'(0)=f''(0)=0 not uniquely determining f(x) for all x.
- tsimionescu 3y agoThe condition imposed by the construction of the problem and the laws of motion is that f''(t) = sqrt(t), and that f''(t) = 0 => F(t) = 0. The function given as an example in the article, f(t) = {(1/144) (t-T)^4, t >= T | 0, t < T}, obeys both laws, just as much as f(t) = 0 does. I'm not sure what the fourth derivative has to do with this argument.