# Math Help - physical meaning

1. ## physical meaning

hi
i have been learning calculus for abt a year now....
usually most topics learnt in maths are used in physics. and so is calculus.
can someone tell me wat is the physical meaning of integration?
differentiation is basically rates.
wat abt integration?>
specifically integration and differentiation of trigonometric functions?

2. ## integration means sum

Hi Darachit,

Generally Integeration means sum(adding) or total...

so for example,

say to calculate the mass flow rate across a cross section, where density, velocity is not uniform in that cross section.. then you can calculate the mass flow rate in a small region dA as = velocity * density * dA
so, So the total mass flow rate across a given area can be computed by adding the mass flow across many such small elemental areas(dA). so to represent this in mathametics we can write integration ( velocity * denstiy * dA) if we know the variation of velocity and density in that area then you can compute the mass flow rate as integration ( velocity * denstiy * dA) where limits of the integration will be your area of interst across which you want to caluclate the total mass flow rate

3. thanx for the info...
any idea abt the second question? physical significance of trig functions?

4. sorry !!
not sure....

5. Originally Posted by vinay
sorry !!
not sure....
no probs man...

6. analysis of wave motion and my name " pendulum "
also theory of diffraction , Fresnel integral $\int_0^{\infty} \sin{x^2} ~dx$

7. Originally Posted by darachit
thanx for the info...
any idea abt the second question? physical significance of trig functions?
Anything related to circular motion and/or periodic phenomena.

CB