Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2019 / iii / Paper 334 / 2 / c / Solution

A periodic displacement with angular frequency $\omega$ has $y_t\sim \omega y$. Balancing this viscous forcing with bending over length ${\ell }_{\omega }$ gives $c_{\perp }\omega y\sim By/{\ell }_{\omega }^4$. Thus the elastohydrodynamic penetration length and sperm number areSince $[B/(c_{\perp }\omega )]={\mathsf{L}}^4$, the fourth root has dimensions length, as required.

With $X=x/{\ell }_{\omega }$, $\tau =\omega t$, and $Y=y/{\ell }_{\omega }$, the bending equation becomesThe defining balance cancels both coefficients, giving $\boxed{Y_{\tau }=-Y_{XXXX}}$. A large sperm number means that the periodically forced response decays before reaching the distant end.