AN INTRODUCTION TO LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

The theory of Laplace transforms involves the application of a mathematical transformation to solve linear constant coefficient differential equations, and can be compared with the logarithm method that simplifies arithmetic operations. The Laplace transform is defined as

L[ f (t )] = F (s ) = 0 f (t ).e -st .dt

F(s) is defined as the Laplace transform of f(t), where s = i.w [and i=sqrt(-1)], w is the frequency [in radians/second], and t is time. 's' is called the Laplace variable. Thus a differential equation given by f(t) can be solved by 'simply' transforming the equation into the Laplace domain, as a function of s. The solution in the time domain is obtained by determining the inverse transformation L-1[F(s)] to yield f(t). Tables of transforms have been formulated (see overleaf), including several common theorems. E.g. the unit step function f(t)=0 when t<=0 and f(t =1 when t>0.

1 -st - st - st F ( s ) = f ( t ).e .dt = 1.e .dt = - .e s 0 0

And the unit ramp function is given by f(t)=1 for t>0,

1 = s

t -st 1 -st F ( s ) = t .e .dt = - e + .e .dt s s 0

- st

1 = 2 s

SHORT TABLE OF LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

Time function Unit impulse Unit step Unit ramp Polynomial Exponential Unit sine wave Unit cosine wave Damped sine wave Damped cosine wave
1 a 2 +w 2

f(t) d(t) 1 t t e
n

F(s) 1 1/s 1/s2

n! s
n +1

-at

1 s +a
s2
2

Sin(wt) Cos(wt) e Sin(wt) e Cos(wt)

e - at sin( wt - f ) 2 +w 2
-at -at

w + w2

s + w2

w (s + a ) 2 + w 2
s + a (s + a ) 2 + w 2
1 s[( s + a ) 2 2 +w ]

w a

where

-w f = ta n - 1 a

THEOREMS f(t)
1. Linear Transformation: 2. Multiplication by a constant: 3. Shifting Theorem: 4. Differentiation f1(t) f2(t) K.f(t) f(t - T)

F(s)
F1(s) F2(s) K.F(s) e -sT.F(s) s.F(s) - f(0)

d f(t) dt
n d f(t) n dt

Not that if all initial conditions are zero, then sn.F(s)

5. Final value theorem: Valid only if all poles of F(s) have

limit f(t) t

limit s.F(s) s0

negative real parts with the exception of one pole at the origin.