Problem 3: Application of differential equations

I - Introduction to differential equation:

Many of the principles, or laws, underlying the behavior of the natural world
are statements or relations involving rates at which things happen. When
expressed in mathematical terms, the relations are equations and the rates are
derivatives. Equations containing derivatives are differential equations.

A differential equation is an equation that contains an unknown function and

one or more of its derivatives.

The order of a differential equation is the order of the highest derivative that
occurs in the equation. The equation F(x,y’ ,... y (n) ) = 0 is an ordinary
differential equation of the nth order.

A function f is called a general solution of an ordinary differential equation

F(x,y’ ,... y(n) ) = 0 if the equation is satisfied when y = f (x) and its derivatives are
substituted into the equation. When applying differential equations, we are
usually not as interested in finding the general solution as we are in finding a
solution that satisfies some additional requirement.

We need to find the particular solution that satisfies a condition of the form
y(x0) = y0, or y’(x0) = y0. This is called an initial condition, and the problem of
finding a solution that satisfies the initial condition is called an initial-value
problem.

In contrast, a boundary-value problem consists of a differential equation and

a set of conditions at different x−values that the solution y(x) must satisfy.

II - Problem with application of differential equations:

Example:
Mixing problems occur quite frequently in the chemical industry. The tank
contains 1000 gal of water in which initially 200 lb of salt is dissolved. Brine
runs at a rate of 10gal/min, and each gallon contains 5 lb of dissolved salt. The
mixture in the tank is kept uniform by stirring. Brine runs out at 10gal/min.
Find the amount of salt in the tank at any time t.

Explanation:
Let y(t) denote the amount of salt in the tank at time t. Its time rate of
change is

y’(t) = Salt inflow state - Salt outflow state

Salt inflow state = 5 × 10 = 50 lb/minute

Salt outflow = 15 gal/minute

10
This is 1000 = 0.01 = 1% of the total brine content in the tank, hence 0.01 of
the salt content y(t)

Therefore, the ODE model is:

y’ = 50 – 0.01y

dy dy
¿>¿
dt
= 50 – 0.01y ¿>¿
50−0.01 y
= dt

100 dy
¿>¿ ∫ = ∫ dt ¿>¿  ln |y - 5000| = -0.01t + lnC
5000− y

¿>¿ y - 5000 = Ce-0.01t

Initially the tank contains 200 lb of salt. Hence y(0) = 200. Substituting y =
200 and t = 0 in the last equation gives:

200 - 5000 = Ce0 ⇒ C = -4800

Hence the amount of salt in the tank at time t is

 y(t) = 5000 − 4800e−0.01t

III.MATLAB CODE