Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 iii Paper 81 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Write , , and . The local resistive-force theory force per unit length on the filament iswhere is the unit tangent and the material velocity relative to the fluid. Inextensibility gives . With , is second order and has zero time average for a periodic prescribed stroke. The actual small-slope condition is for fixed ; alone is not uniform when grows.
At first order, the transverse force is . Adding the spherical-head drag force and imposing zero total force givesEquivalently . This form is useful for the subsequent time averages.
At second order, the axial resistive-force theory force isAdding the head drag force gives the head-drag correction to planar flagellar propulsion:since . Directly, and , with . HenceAlso , whose complex amplitude is . Using , together with , givesAs , the requested mean speed follows:Anisotropic resistance is essential: removes propulsion at this order. The mean motion is opposite to the direction of wave propagation when the bracket is positive, since the head's axial velocity is .
For the basal bending moment of a planar flagellum, take positive moment to be the positive out-of-plane torque exerted on the distal filament at its base. The leading hydrodynamic torque on that filament is , so balance requiresAn explicit unsimplified time-dependent answer isThe first term follows from . This is the total internal bending moment required by the hydrodynamic load. It equals the contractile moment when passive elasticity is neglected. If a specified passive moment also acts, the required active moment is ; no elastic modulus is supplied here.
The prescribed base coordinate needs a geometrical qualification. Literally, a coordinate measured from the attachment point must have , whereas the printed waveform has . The preceding calculation reproduces the printed speed by treating that waveform as the prescribed coordinate, including its moving transverse offset. If the intention is instead a fixed attachment at the origin, replace it by . ThenThese follow by replacing with in the same force balance. The basal moment likewise uses and . Thus the printed kinematics and its claim that the origin is the actual attachment cannot both be imposed without this correction.