Chapter III.

Applications of First-Order Differential Equations

3.1 Decomposition/Growth
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Solve basic decomposition or growth problems described by first order differential equations.
2. Examine the mathematical solution or solutions to determine appropriateness to the real world setting in which the
problem was posed
Read PowerPoint slides of 3.1 Applications of First Order Differential Equation (Growth or Decay) (1). Assessment:
Write the complete solution.
1. If the growth rate of the number of bacteria at any time t is proportional to the number present at t and doubles in 1 week,
how many bacteria can be expected after 2 weeks? After 4 weeks?
2. What should be the content (in percent of y 0) of a fossilized tree that is claimed to be 3000 years old?
3. If a wet sheet in a dryer loses its moisture at a rate proportional to its moisture content, and if it loses half of its moisture
during the first 10 min of drying, when will it be practically dry, say, when will it have lost 99% of its moisture? First guess, then
calculate.
4. Experiments show that a radioactive substance decomposes at a rate proportional to the amount present. In the case of
radium 88 Ra226 the proportionality constant is k ≈−1.4 ×10−11 sec −1. Starting with a given amount of this substance, say, 2 grams, at a
certain time, say, t=0 , what is the half-life of 88 Ra226? (The half-life of a radioactive substance is the time in which half of the given
amount will disappear)
5. A certain radioactive substance has a half-life of 38 hours. Find how long it takes for 90% of the radioactivity to be
dissipated.
6. Find the half-life of a radioactive substance if 20 % of its initial value disappears in 40 years.
7. The efficiency of the engines of subsonic airplanes depends on air pressure and is usually maximum near 35,000ft. Find
the air pressure at this height. Physical information. The rate of change y '(x ) is proportional to the pressure. At 18,000 ft it is half its
value y 0= y (0) at sea level. Hint. Remember from calculus that if y=ekx , then y ' =k ekx =ky . Can you see without calculation that the
answer should be close to y 0 / 4?

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3.2 Newton’s Law of Cooling
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Solve basic Newton’s Law of Cooling problems described by first order differential equations.
2. Examine the mathematical solution or solutions to determine appropriateness to the real world setting in
which the problem was posed

Read PowerPoint slides of 3.2 Applications of First Order Differential Equation (Newton’s Law of Cooling) (1).
Assessment:
Write the complete solution.
1. A thermometer, reading 5 ℃ , is brought into a room whose temperature is 22 ℃. One minute later the
thermometer reading is 12 ℃. How long does it take until the reading is practically 22 ℃, say, 21.9 ℃ ?
2. The rate at which the body cools is proportional to the difference in temperature between the body and
the surrounding atmosphere. If in air at 60 ℃ , a body cools from 90 ℃ to 80 ℃ in 10 minutes, find its
temperature 10 minutes later.
3. At 1 :00PM, a thermometer reading 70 ℉ is taken outside where the air temperature is −10 ℉ . At
1 :02 PM, the reading is 26 ℉ . At 1 :05PM, the thermometer is taken back indoors, where the air is at
70 ℉ . What is the temperature reading at 1 :09 PM?

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3.3 Mixing (Non-Reacting Fluids)
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Solve basic mixing problems described by first order differential equations.
2. Examine the mathematical solution or solutions to determine appropriateness to the real world setting in
which the problem was posed

Read PowerPoint slides 3.3 Applications of First Order DE (Mixing Problem) from Chapter 2 Linear First-Order
Equations & Applications (2).
Assessment:
Write the complete solution.
1. A tank contains 100 gallons of brine made by dissolving 6 lb of salt in water. Salt water containing 1 lb of
salt per gallon runs in at the rate of 2 gallons per minute. A well stirred mixture runs at the rate of 2
gallons per minute. Find the amount of salt in the tank at the end of one hour.
2. A tank contains 400 gal of brine in which 100 lb of salt are dissolved. Fresh water runs into the tank at a
rate of 2 gal/min. The mixture, kept practically uniform by stirring, runs out at the same rate. How much
salt will there be in the tank at the end of 1 hour?
3. A tank shown in Figure 3.1 contains 80 lb of salt dissolved in 500 gal of water. The inflow per minute is
20 lb of salt dissolved in 20 gal of water. The outflow is 20 gal/min of the uniform mixture. Find the time
when the salt content y (t ) in the tank reaches 95% of its limiting value (as t → ∞).

Figure 3.1 For Assessment No. 3 (3)

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3.4 Electric Circuits
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Solve basic electric circuit problems described by first order differential equations.
2. Examine the mathematical solution or solutions to determine appropriateness to the real world setting in
which the problem was posed

Read PowerPoint slides 3.4 Applications of First Order DE (Electric Circuit).

Assessment:
Write the complete solution.
1. An RL circuit with inductance of 1 Henry and a resistance of 20 ohms are connected in a source of E=24
volts DC. If I =0 when t=0 , find I when t=0.06 second.
2. An RL circuit with inductance of 1 Henry and a resistance of 20 ohms are connected in a source of
E=200 sin sin 20t volts AC. If I =0 when t=0 , find I when t=0.06 second.

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