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Week: 9
Applications of first order equations
Growth and decay problems
𝑑𝑁 𝑑𝑁
∝N so that = 𝑘𝑁
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
• 𝑘 is a positive constant
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Solution:
𝑁 𝑡 = 500,000𝑒10𝑘
1
2= 𝑒10𝑘⇒𝑘= ln(2)≈0.0693 thus
10
0.0693𝑡
𝑁 𝑡 = 500,000𝑒
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i. In the year 2000, t = 30 so 𝑁 30 = 500,000𝑒 30∙0.0693 =
4,000,000 there are 4 million people in 2000
ii. To find t when N = 5 million
5,000,000 = 500,000𝑒 30∙0.0693 ⇒ 10 = 𝑒 0.0693𝑡
1
0.0693𝑡 = ln 10 ⇒ 𝑡 = ln(10) ≈ 33.22
0.0693
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The law of natural decay
• In the mass of a radioactive substance, atoms disintegrate
spontaneously, although the process is not a continuous one
but averaged over the large number of atoms in a specimen
• It is found that the time rate of decay is proportional to the
mass of the radioactive substance present at that time.
• If we let 𝑚 = 𝑚(𝑡) be the mass of the radioactive substance at a
time 𝑡, then:
𝑑𝑚
∝ −𝑚
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑚
⇒ = −𝑘𝑚
𝑑𝑡
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Example:
The rate of disintegration of a radioactive substance is
proportional to the amount of the substance remaining at that
time. If it takes three years for 20% to disintegrate, find the half-
life of the substance.
Solution:
• Let 𝑚 = 𝑚(𝑡) denote the mass present after t years
0.0693t
𝑑𝑚
= −𝑘𝑚 so that 𝑚 = 𝑚0 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 where 𝑚0 = 𝑚(0) is the initial
𝑑𝑡
mass present.
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• Now when t = 3, 20% disintegrates so 80% remains, then
𝑚 = 0.8𝑚0
0.8𝑚0 = 𝑚0 𝑒 −3𝑘
⇒ 0.8 = 𝑒 −3𝑘
⇒−3𝑘 = ln(0.8)
1
⇒𝑘 = − ln(0.8) ≈ 0.0744
3
1 ln(2)
• So the half life 𝑇= ln(2) = = 9.32 years
𝑘 0.0744
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Example:
The rate of decay of a radioactive substance is proportional to
the amount of the substance present at that time. Initially 50
milligrams of a radioactive substance is present and after one
hour it is observed that 10% has disintegrated. Find the amount
remaining after a further two hours.
Solution:
Let 𝑚 = 𝑚(𝑡) denote the mass present after t years
𝑑𝑚
= - 𝑘𝑚 so that 𝑚 = 𝑚0 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 where 𝑚0 = 𝑚(0) = 50mg is the
𝑑𝑡
initial mass present.
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• Now when 𝑡 = 1, 10% is lost so 𝑚 = 45𝑚𝑔 remains
45 50
45 = 50𝑒 −𝑘 ⇒ = 𝑒 −𝑘 ⇒ 𝑘 = ln( ) ≈ 0.1053
50 45
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Newton’s law of cooling
• Newton's Law of cooling - the time rate of change of the
temperature of a body is proportional to the difference
between the temperature of the body and the surrounding
medium.
• 𝑇 - the temperature of a body after a time 𝑡
• T𝑚 - the temperature of the surrounding medium
• Then Newton's Law of cooling can be written as:
𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇
∝ (𝑇 − 𝑇𝑚 ) or = 𝑘(𝑇 − 𝑇𝑚 )
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
• 𝑘 is a constant of proportionality.
• If we let θ be the difference in the temperature, so that
𝑑𝜃
θ = 𝑇 − 𝑇𝑚 then = 𝑘θ.
𝑑𝑡
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Example:
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Solution:
𝑑𝑇
• =𝑘(𝑇 − 𝑇𝑚 )
𝑑𝑡
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i. After a further ten minutes means we are required to find 𝑇
when 5𝑘 = t = 15, θ 15 = 170𝑒 −0.0696∙15 = 59.79
so the temperature of the ball is 𝑇 = 𝜃 +30 or 89.79° C.
ii. We are required to find the value of t when T = 40 that is θ
=10:
10
10 = 170𝑒 −0.0696∙15 ⇒ −0.0696𝑡 = ln
170
0.0693t
1 10
⇒𝑡=− ln
0.0696 170
10
⇒ −0.0696𝑡 = ln
170
1 10
⇒𝑡= − ln = 40.67
0.0696 170
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iii. After how long is the charge half its initial value?
Solution:
𝑑𝑄 𝑑𝑄
i. 𝑅𝐶
𝑑𝑡
+ 𝑄 = 0 transposing gives RC 𝑑𝑡 =-𝑄
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𝑡 −𝑡
𝑡 𝑄0 𝑄0
• Using log laws: = ln ⇒𝑒 𝑅𝐶 = ⇒ 𝑄 = 𝑄 t = 𝑄0 𝑒 𝑅𝐶
𝑅𝐶 𝑄 𝑄
𝑡
𝑄0
ii. Given 𝑒 𝑅𝐶 = ,𝐶 = 7.3μF and R = 400𝑘Ω , the product
𝑄
RC=2.92 , to find Q0 use t = 0.225s when Q = 7.0C substituting
gives
7.0 = 𝑄0 𝑒 −0.077 ⇒ 𝑄0 = 7.0𝑒 0.077 = 7.56 𝐶
⇒ 𝑄 = 𝑄 𝑡 = 7.56𝑒 −0.34𝑡 , 𝑡 ≥ 0
1
iii. To find 𝑡 =? when 𝑄 = 𝑄0 = 3.78
2
1 −0.34𝑡 1
=𝑒 ⇒ −0.34𝑡 = ln( )
2 2
1
⇒𝑡 = ln 2 = 2.023𝑠
0.34
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Example: The basic equation governing the amount of current 𝑖
Amperes in an 𝑅𝐿 series circuit consisting of a resistance R ohms
and an inductance 𝐿 Henries connected to a voltage source of 𝐸
volts after a time 𝑡 seconds satisfies the differential equation
𝑑𝑖
L + R𝑖 = E 𝑑𝑡
Assuming the initial current is zero, find the current at any time 𝑡.
Solution:
𝑑𝑖 𝑑𝑖
L 𝑑𝑡 + R 𝑖 = E transposing gives L 𝑑𝑡 = E - R𝑖
1 1 𝐸
= [ln(𝐸) - ln(𝐸 − 𝑅𝑖)] = ln
𝑅 𝑅 𝐸 −𝑅𝑖
𝑅𝑡
𝑅𝑡 𝐸 E
By log laws transposing: = ln so that =𝑒 𝐿
𝐿 𝐸 −𝑅𝑖 𝐸 −𝑅𝑖
−𝑅𝑡 −𝑅𝑡
𝐸−𝑅𝑖
Inverting to 𝑖 make the subject: =𝑒 𝐿 so E - 𝑅𝑖 = 𝐸𝑒 𝐿
𝐸
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−𝑅𝑡 −𝑅𝑡 −𝑅𝑡
𝐸
• 𝑅𝑖 = E – E𝑒 𝐿 = E 1 −𝑒 𝐿 ⇒ 𝑖(𝑡) = 1−𝑒 𝐿
𝑅
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