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milar examples appear in everyday life. They are phenomena of an impulsive nature
e 226
6.4
time.
and
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226
(t " a) ! b
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0
electrical, etc.—are applied over short(Fig.
Short Impulses. Dirac’s Delta Function.
otherwise
by “Dirac’s delta function,” and solve
132)
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226
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a ship being hit by a single high wave, a tennis ball being hit by a racket, and many other
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similar
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The unit
it step and unit impulse
step and unit impulse
functions canfunctions
now becan now
used on be
theused onside
right the right side of ODEs
of ODEs
modeling
mechanical ormechanical or electrical
electrical systems, systems,
as we as we
illustrate illustrate next.
next.

2
PAUL DIRAC (1902–1984), English physicist, was awarded the Nobel Prize [jointly with the Austrian
DIRACERWIN
(1902–1984), English physicist,
SCHRÖDINGER was inawarded
(1887–1961)] 1933 forthe
his Nobel
work inPrize [jointly
quantum with the Austrian
mechanics.
HRÖDINGER (1887–1961)]
Generalized functionsinare
1933
alsoforcalled
his work in quantum
distributions. mechanics.
Their theory was created in 1936 by the Russian
ed functions are also
mathematician calledL’VOVICH
SERGEI distributions.
SOBOLEVTheir (1908–1989),
theory was created in 1936
and in 1945, under by theaspects,
wider Russianby the French
an SERGEI L’VOVICH
mathematician SOBOLEV
LAURENT (1908–1989),
SCHWARTZ and in 1945, under wider aspects, by the French
(1915–2002).
an LAURENT SCHWARTZ (1915–2002).