Module 2

Laplace Transform

Engr. Gerard Ang

School of EECE
 Definition of Laplace Transform

If f(t) is defined for all values of t in the interval t > 0, then

the Laplace transform of f(t) is
∞
ℒf t = F s = න e−st f t dt
0
Where:
ℒ= Laplace transform operator
s = complex frequency variable
s = σ + jω ω = 2πf
 Sample Problems

Find the Laplace transform of the following

functions:
1. f(t) = a, where a is a constant
2. f(t) = eat
3. f(t) = sin at
4. f(t) = t
Table of Laplace Transforms
f(t) F(s)
𝑎
a
𝑠
1
t
𝑠2
2
t2
𝑠3
𝑛!
tn
𝑠 𝑛+1
1
e±at
𝑠∓𝑎
𝑠
cos at
𝑠 2 + 𝑎2
𝑎
sin at
𝑠 2 + 𝑎2
𝑠
cosh at
𝑠 2 − 𝑎2
𝑎
sinh at
𝑠 2 − 𝑎2
 Properties of Laplace Transform
1. Linearity Property
ℒ af(t) ± bg(t) = aℒ f t ± bℒ g t = aF(s) ± bG(s)
where:
f(t) and g(t) = any functions of t
a and b = constants

Illustration
Evaluate: 1. ℒ 3t + 4
2. ℒ 5 + 10et + sin 4t
3. ℒ cos 2 2t
4. ℒ[5𝑒 2𝑡 − 3]3
5. ℒ cos 𝑡
 Properties of Laplace Transform
2. Laplace Transform of a Derivative
ℒ f′(t) = sF s − f 0
ℒ f′′(t) = s2 F s − sf 0 − f ′ 0
ℒ f′′′(t) = s3 F s − s2 f(0) − sf′(0) − f′′(0)
For any order n,
ℒ f n (t) = sn F s − sn−1 f 0 − sn−2 f ′ 0 − sn−3 f ′′ 0 − ⋯ − f n−1
(0)
d
Illustration: Evaluate ℒ (sin 3t)
dt

3. Laplace Transform of an Integral

τ F(s)
ℒ[‫׬‬0 f τ dt] =
s
Generalization for the nth integral,
τ τ τ F(s)
ℒ[‫׬‬0 ‫׬‬0 ⋯ ‫׬‬0 f τ dt] =
sn
Illustration:
t
Evaluate: ‫׬‬0 sin 5t dt
 Properties of Laplace Transform
4. First Shifting Theorem (s-shifting or frequency shifting)
ℒ[e±at f t ] = F s ∓ a = F(s)ȁs→s∓a
Illustration:
Evaluate: 1. ℒ[e−5t cos 2t]
2. ℒ[cosh 3𝑡 cos 2t]

5. Second Shifting Theorem (t-shifting or time shifting)

If ℒ f t = F(s)
then ℒ f t − a u(t − a) = e−as F(s)
Illustration:
Evaluate: 1. ℒ sin 2(t − 3) u(t − 3) 2. ℒ t 2 u(t − 3)

6. Frequency Differentiation
n
n nd
ℒt f t = (−1) n ℒ[f t ]
ds
Illustration:
Evaluate 1. ℒ t sin 2t
2. ℒ (𝑡 2 − 3𝑡 + 2) sin t
t
3. ℒ ‫׬‬0 te−t sin 4t dt
 Properties of Laplace Transform
7. Time Scaling Property
1 𝑠
If ℒ 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐹 𝑠 then ℒ 𝑓(𝑎𝑡) = 𝐹
ȁ𝑎ȁ 𝑎
20−4𝑠
Illustration: If ℒ 𝑓(𝑡) = , find ℒ 𝑓(3𝑡) .
𝑠 2 −4𝑠+20

8. Frequency Integration
𝑓(𝑡) ∞
ℒ = ‫𝑧𝑑 𝑧 𝐹 𝑠׬‬
𝑡
Illustration: Find the Laplace transform of [e^(-3t) – e^(-2t)]/t

9. Initial Value Theorem

The initial value theorem is a theorem used to relate frequency domain
expressions to the time domain behavior as time approaches zero.
𝑓 0 = lim 𝑠𝐹 𝑠
𝑠→∞

10. Final Value Theorem

The final value theorem (FVT) is one of several similar theorems used to relate
frequency domain expressions to the time domain behavior as time approaches
infinity.
𝑓 ∞ = lim 𝑠𝐹 𝑠
𝑠→0
 Sample Problems

Determine the initial value and final value of the following functions:
𝑠(𝑠+10)
a. F s =
(𝑠+2)(𝑠+3)(𝑠+4)
4𝑠 2 +5𝑠+1
b. 𝐹 𝑠 =
𝑠(𝑠 2 +𝑠+8)
 Transforms of Elementary Functions
1. Unit Step Function or Heaviside Function
0 𝑡<0
𝑢 𝑡 =ቊ for
1 𝑡>0
Shifted Heaviside Function
0 𝑡<𝑎
𝑢 𝑡−𝑎 =ቊ for
1 𝑡>𝑎
1
ℒ u(t − a) = s e−as
1
If a = 0 then ℒ u(t) = s

Various discontinuous functions can be expressed in terms of Heaviside

unit step functions as follows:
𝑓1 (𝑡) 0<𝑡<𝑎
f 𝑡 =ቊ for
𝑓2 (𝑡) 𝑡>𝑎
𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑓1 (𝑡) + 𝑓2 (𝑡) − 𝑓1 (𝑡) u(t − a)
In general,
𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑓1 𝑡 + 𝑓2 𝑡 − 𝑓1 𝑡 u t − a + ⋯ + 𝑓𝑛 𝑡 − 𝑓𝑛−1 𝑡 u t − 𝑎𝑛−1
 Sample Problems

Find the Laplace transform of the following equations:

𝑒 −𝑡 0<𝑡<3
1. 𝑓 𝑡 = ቊ for
0 𝑡>3

0 0<𝑡<5
2. g 𝑡 =ቊ for
𝑡−3 𝑡>5

0 0 < 𝑡 < 𝜋/2

3. 𝑓 𝑡 = ቊ for
sin 𝑡 𝑡 > 𝜋/2
 Transforms of Elementary Functions
2. Unit Impulse Function or Dirac’s Delta Function
∞ 𝑖𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑎
δ 𝑡−𝑎 =൜
0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒
ℒ δ(t − a) = e−as

3. Laplace Transform of Periodic Functions

Let f(t) be piecewise continuous in [0, ω] and periodic with period T (T > 0).
Then f(t) has the Laplace Transform
𝑇
‫׬‬0 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑓 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝐹 𝑠 =ℒ 𝑓 𝑡 = 1−𝑒 −𝑇𝑠
,s>0
Illustration:
Find the Laplace transform of the function described by the waveform shown.
f(t)
10

0 π 2π t