Does the Poisson Equation Have a Unique Solution with Mixed Boundary Conditions?

In summary, the professor mentioned that the Poisson equation has a unique solution even for mixed boundary conditions. This means that even if different boundary conditions are specified, there will still be a unique solution for the problem. However, this may not be consistent as there are unique solutions for Dirichlet and Neumann conditions separately. A specific example would help illustrate this concept further.
  • #1
ajeet mishra
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My professor told that poission equation has a unique solution even for mixed boundary conditions( i.e. Dirichlet bc for some part and Neumann for the remaining part). But how is this possible? As different boundary conditions for the same problem will give different solutions.
 
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  • #2
ajeet mishra said:
My professor told that poission equation has a unique solution even for mixed boundary conditions( i.e. Dirichlet bc for some part and Neumann for the remaining part). But how is this possible? As different boundary conditions for the same problem will give different solutions.
It has a unique solution for each specified set of boundary conditions.
 
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  • #3
Chestermiller said:
It has a unique solution for each specified set of boundary conditions.
But how? As there are unique solutions for drichlet and neumann conditions separately and these, in general, may not be consistent.
 
  • #4
ajeet mishra said:
But how? As there are unique solutions for drichlet and neumann conditions separately and these, in general, may not be consistent.
Can you provide a specific example (or examples) to illustrate what you are saying?
 

Related to Does the Poisson Equation Have a Unique Solution with Mixed Boundary Conditions?

1. What is the Poisson equation?

The Poisson equation is a partial differential equation that describes the distribution of a scalar field in a given space, subject to a fixed source distribution. It is commonly used in physics and engineering to solve problems related to electrostatics, heat transfer, and fluid flow.

2. How is the Poisson equation solved?

The Poisson equation is typically solved using numerical methods such as finite difference, finite element, or boundary element methods. These methods involve discretizing the equation into smaller elements or grids and solving for the solution at each point.

3. What are the boundary conditions for the Poisson equation?

The boundary conditions for the Poisson equation depend on the specific problem being solved. Generally, there are two types of boundary conditions: Dirichlet boundary conditions, which specify the value of the solution at the boundary, and Neumann boundary conditions, which specify the normal derivative of the solution at the boundary.

4. What are some applications of the Poisson equation?

The Poisson equation has numerous applications in physics and engineering, including electrostatics, heat conduction, fluid dynamics, and even image processing. It is used to model and solve a wide range of physical phenomena, such as electric fields, temperature distributions, and fluid flow patterns.

5. What are the limitations of the Poisson equation?

The Poisson equation assumes that the source distribution is known and fixed, and that the medium in which the field is being calculated is homogeneous. In reality, these assumptions may not hold true, leading to inaccuracies in the solution. Additionally, the Poisson equation may not be suitable for problems with highly irregular boundaries or complex geometries.

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