Applications of a Conic Section essays

Applications of a Conic Section essays Conic sections are a group of curves which are generated by slicing a cone with a plane. If the plane is tilted parallel to the slope of the cone, the cut produces a parabola. When a parabola is expressed in Cartesian coordinates, the equation is a second order polynomial. This curve is commonly found in nature, engineering applications and architecture. The study of projectile motion is a real life application of the parabolic conic section. Soccer balls, divers, missiles and airplanes follow perfect parabolic trajectories if the air resistance is neglected. Garden hoses and fountains discharge water droplets whose trajectory is also described by a parabolic motion (Serway Parabolic mirrors are commonly found in optical instruments such as cameras, telescopes, and microscopes. The surface of the mirror has a parabolic form. Parabolic mirrors ensure that the image is not blurred as it eliminates aberration, i.e. reflected rays should only pass through a single focal point. This type of mirrors are expensive as they are not easy to manufacture. Vehicle headlights also have a parabolic curvature. If a bulb is located exactly at the focus of a parabolic mirror, the rays are reflected parallel to the axis of the para...