Initial conditions give
. So
which approaches the constant a/bm asymptotically in time:
Another integration gives
which setting equal to
initially gives
Note that this asymptotically approaches the line x = at/bm:
so that F = a - bmv .
Interpreting this as the force on a ball dropping through viscous fluid gives a = -mg (constant gravitational force, taking our axis pointing upward and g to be positive). Part (a) gives us the terminal velocity
so we interpret our physical force as
Here
so the integral gives
which we invert to obtain
Integrating and applying the initial condition x(0) = 0 gives
Rearranging then exponentiating both sides gives
, so we get
Thus Newton II
becomes
Both sides of this equation depend only on a single variable, so we can sensibly integrate them from the beginning of the motion to its current state:
Exponentiating both sides we can solve for v(x):
as in (b).
Substituting our original expression for
back in gives F(x):
Integrating both sides, and using our initial conditions to set integration constants,
or, solving for x,