3/24/2019 1.

Applications of the Indefinite Integral

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1. Applications of the Indefinite Integral

by M. Bourne

Displacement from Velocity, and Velocity from Acceleration

A very useful application of calculus is displacement, velocity and
acceleration.

Recall (from Derivative as an Instantaneous Rate of Change) that we

can find an expression for velocity by differentiating the expression
for displacement:

ds
v=
dt
Similarly, we can find the expression for the acceleration by
differentiating the expression for velocity, and this is equivalent to
finding the second derivative of the displacement:

dv d2 s High velocity train [Image source]

a= =
dt dt 2
It follows (since integration is the opposite process to differentiation) that to obtain the displacement, s of an object at time
(given the expression for velocity, v ) we would use:

s = ∫ v dt

Similarly, the velocity of an object at time t with acceleration a, is given by:

v = ∫ a dt

Example 1

A car starts from rest at s = 3 m from the origin and has acceleration at time t given by a = 2t − 5 ms−2 . Find the velocity
and displacement of the car at t = 4 s.

Solution

We find the velocity using:

v = ∫ a dt

So in this example we have:

v = ∫ (2t − 5) dt

= t2 − 5t + K

When t = 0, v = 0, so K = 0.

So the expression for velocity as a function of time is:

v = t2 − 5t m s−1
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When t = 4, v = 4 − 5(4) = −4 m s

Now to find the displacement.

s = ∫ v dt

Then

s = ∫ (t2 − 5t) dt

t3 5t2
= − +K
3 2
Now when t = 0, s = 3, so we substitute to obtain:

03 5(0)t2
3= − +K
3 2
So K = 3 and therefore the general expression for s is:

t3 5t2
s= − +3
3 2
2
43 5(4)
When t = 4, s = − + 3 = −15.67 m
3 2
a v s
10 10 5
t
5 1 2 3 4 5
5 t -5
t 1 2 3 4 5 -10
1 2 3 4 5 -5 -15
-5 -10 -20

The graphs of the acceleration, velocity and displacement at time t, indicating the velocity and displacement at t = 4.

Example 2

A proton moves in an electric field such that its acceleration (in cms -2) is
−2
a = −20(1 + 2t) , where t is in seconds.

Find the velocity as a function of time if v = 30 cms -1 when t = 0.

Answer

v = ∫ a dt

So

−20 dt
v=∫ 2
(1 + 2t)
du
Put u = 1 + 2t then du = 2 dt , so dt =
2
−10 du
v=∫
u2

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= ∫ −10u−2 du

10
= +K
u
10
= +K
1 + 2t
When t = 0, v = 30, so K = 20.

So the expression for velocity as a function of time is:

10
v=( + 20) cm s−1
1 + 2t

Here are the graphs of the acceleration of the proton, and the velocity we found in Example 2.

a v
t 40

1 2 3 4 5 30
-5
20
-10
10
-15 t
-20 1 2 3 4 5

The graphs of the acceleration and velocity at time t. Note v (0) = 30.

Example 3

A flare is ejected vertically upwards from the ground at 15 m/s. Find the height of the flare after 2.5 s.

Answer

The object has acting on it the force due to gravity, so its acceleration is -9.8 ms -2.

v = ∫ a dt

= ∫ −9.8 dt

= −9.8t + C
−1
Now at t = 0, the velocity = 15 ms . So C = 15.

So the expression for velocity becomes:

v = −9.8t + 15

Now, we need to find the displacement, so we integrate our expression for velocity:

s = ∫ v dt

= ∫ (−9.8t + 15) dt

= −4.9t2 + 15t + K

Now, we know from the question that when t = 0, s = 0.

This gives K = 0. top

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So s = −4.9t + 15t

At time t = 2.5, s = 6.875 m.

Displacement and Velocity Formulas

Using integration, we can obtain the well-known expressions for displacement and velocity, given a constant acceleration a,
initial displacement zero, and an initial velocity v 0 :

v = ∫ a dt

v = at + K

Since the velocity at t = 0 is v 0 , we have K = v 0 . So:

v = v 0 + at

Similarly, taking it another step gives:

s = ∫ v dt = ∫ (v 0 + at) dt

at2
s = v0 t + +C
2
Since the displacement at t = 0 is s = 0, we have C = 0. So:

1
s = v 0 t + at2
2

Voltage across a Capacitor

Definition: The current, i (amperes), in an electric circuit equals the time rate of change of the charge q, (in coulombs) that
passes a given point in the circuit. We can write this (with t in seconds) as:

dq
i=
dt
By writing i dt = dq and integrating, we have:

q = ∫ i dt

The voltage, VC (in volts) across a capacitor with capacitance C (in farads) is given by

q
VC =
C
It follows that

1
VC = ∫ i dt
C

You can see some more advanced applications of this at Applications of Ordinary Differential Equations.

Example 4

The electric current (in mA) in a computer circuit as a function of time is i = 0.3 − 0.2t. What total charge passes a point in
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Answer

The charge, q, is given by:

q = ∫ i dt

= ∫ (0.3 − 0.2t) dt

= 0.3t − 0.1t2 + K

At t = 0, q = 0, and this gives us K = 0.

2
So q = 0.3t − 0.1t
2
[q ]t=0.050 = 0.3(0.050) − 0.1(0.050) = 0.015 mC

(units are milli coulombs, as current i was in mA.)

Example 5

The voltage across an 8.50 nF capacitor in an FM receiver circuit is initially zero. Find the voltage after 2.00 μs if a current
i = 0.042t (in mA) charges the capacitor.

Answer

1
VC = ∫ i dt
C
Note: 1 nF = 10−9 F; and 1 μs = 10−6 s;

Also, 0.042t mA = 0.042 × 10−3 t A

0.042 × 10−3
VC = ∫ t dt
8.5 × 10−9
t2
= 4.94 × 103 +K
2
= 2.47 × 103 t2 + K

Now, we are told that when t = 0, V C = 0.

So K = 0.

Thus

V C = 2.47 × 103 t2

So when t = 2.00 μs, we have:

2
V C = 2.47 × 103 (2 × 10−6 )

= 9.882 × 10−9

= 9.88 nV

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