The breath of a dog: An example of the trigonometric

functions
Mr Javier Agudelo

April de 2020

In the following article, we present how the breath in a dog is an example to use the trigonometric
functions in situations of daily life.
We can define the breath as a repetitive process. The inhalation and the exhalation are a
repetitive process to the animal can live. In this way, the following graph represent how works
breathe in a dog.

Figure 1: Breath of a dog (rest)

Figure 2: Breath of a dog (moving)

1
 To build this graph is necessary to know some data, for example, the lung capacity in a little
dog is [0.3L]. Also, when the little dog is in the rest, it can do the breathing cycle 26 times, and if
the little dog is moving (run and then stop), it can do the breathing cycle near 48 times
Then, the lungs of a dog never be empty, an approximate calculus affirm that the little dog can
win and lose 0, 17L when it breath. So in this order 0, 17L is the amplitude of the function.
Then, to know the period, we need remember the following equation, that is a reform to the
angular speed in U.C.M, look at:
2π
T = (1)
ω
Then, we know that th dog do 26 cycles in a mintue, that means that each cycle spend 2.30
s. So this is the period of the breath in a dog. If we solve the equation (1) using T as 2.38 s, we
obtain:  
2π rad
ω= = 2.73
2.38s s
Remember that the periodic phenomenon as model by the equations f (t) = Asin(ωt). In this
way, we know that the breath in a little dog when it is rest is:

f (t) = 0, 17sin(2.73t) (2)

That equation explain the quantity of air that enter or exit in the lungs during the cycle of breath
If you applied the same process when the little dog is moving, obtain:

f (t) = 0, 17sin(4.72t) (3)