Differential Equations

dy
(1) EXPONENTIAL GROWTH = k  y where y(0) = y 0
dx
Analytical Solution Graphical Solution

Using separation of variables, dy

= y where y(0) = 1
dy dy dx
= k  dx  
y 
= k  dx
y
ln y + C1 = kx + C2  ln y = k  x + (C2 − C1 )
eln y = ekx +C3  y = eC3  ekx
y = C4  ekx  y = A  ekx

Applying the initial condition,

y(0) = y0 = A  e0  A = y0

y = y0  e kx
dy
(2) EXPONENTIAL DECAY = −k  y where y(0) = y 0
dx
Analytical Solution Graphical Solution

dy dy
= −k  dx  y = y0  e− kx = −y where y(0) = 2
dx
y
Additionally, the half-life of a substance, T12 , is the time it
takes for ½ of the amount of substance to decay. So,

y0 − kT 1
= y0  e 2
2
 1
 ln   = −k  T1 2
 2
−1  1  ln(2)
 T1 2 = ln    T1 2 =
k  2 k
 dT
(3) NEWTON’S LAW OF COOLING = −k  (T − TS ) where T (0) = T 0
dt
Analytical Solution Graphical Solution

Using separation of variables, dT

dT dT = k  (T − TS ) where T (0) = T 0
= −k  dt  
T − TS 
= −k  dt dt
T − TS
dT ln(4)
ln T − TS + C1 = −k  t + C2 =−  (T − 18) where T (0) = 98 C
dt 5
ln T − TS = −k  t + C3
eln T −TS = e− kt +C3
T − TS = eC3  e− kt T0

(T − TS ) = C4  e− kt
 T − TS = A  e− kt TS

Applying the initial condition,

T (0) = T0  T0 − TS = A  e0  A = T0 − TS , SO

T − TS = (T0 − TS )  e− kt
(4) RESISTANCE PROPORTIONAL TO VELOCITY
A marble is rolls along the surface of a long table. Since the table’s upward force balances the force due to gravity
the only force influencing the mable is air resistance. As a simple model for air resistance, the force due to air resistance is
dv
assumed to be proportional to velocity. If the mass of the marble is m, Newton’s second law ( F = ma = m  ) gives
dt
the equation
dv
F = −k  v => m  a = −k  v => m = −k  v where v(0) = v 0
dt
Solution:
dv dv
= −k  dt  
v 
m = −k  dt
v
m  ln v + C1 = −k  t + C2
k
ln v = −  t + C3
m
k k
− t +C3 − t
e ln v
=e m
 v = e e C3 m

k
− t
− kt
v = C4  e  v = Ae m

Applying the initial condition, v(0) = v0  v0 = A  e  A = v0

0

k
− t
v = v0  e m

QUESTION: Write (but don’t solve) a DE for the following situation.

A marble is dropped from a tower. The two forces acting on the marble are gravity and air resistance. As a simple model for
air resistance, the force due to air resistance is assumed to be proportional to velocity. Assume that the upward direction is
the positive direction.

(5) STOPPING DISTANCE FOR PARTICLE SLOWING UNDER RESISTANCE

PROPORTIONAL TO VELOCITY
Find an equation for the particles position s(t) where The stopping distance will be the limit
t d = lim s(t)
0 v(x)  dx is the net change in position and for which t →

s(0) = s0 . v  m  − t  
k
= lim  0  1 − e m  
t →
 k   
s(t) = initial position + net change in position on [0,t]
v m
t t
k
− x = 0
= s0 +  v(x)  dx = s0 +  v0  e m  dx k
0 0

−v0  m k
 (−mk ) dx
t − x
= s0 +  e m
k 0
t
−v  m  − mk x  −v  m  − mk t 
= s0 + 0   e  = s0 + 0 e − 1
k  0 k  
v0  m  − t 
k
s(t) = s0 +  1− e 
m
k  
Problems: (Formerly with worksheets A-E)

1. If the half-life of a radioactive element is 6300 years, the find the value of k (the rate-constant).

2. The substance you are working with has a half-life of 95 days. However, you must use the substance before 85% of the
radioactive nuclei have disintegrated. For how many days after the samples arrives will it be useful to you?

3. How long will it take a mass of 12 kg to coast from 15 ft/sec to 1 ft/sec if k has the value of ¼ kg/sec in the equation
k
− t
v = v0  e m
?

4. The half-life of carbon-14 is 5700 years. An animal’s skull was found to contain only 72% of its original carbon-14.
Approximately how old is the skull?

5. Suppose a cup of cocoa cooled from90  C to 60  C after 10 minutes in a room whose temperature was 20  C . Use
− kt
Newton’s law of cooling [ T − Ts = (T0 − Ts )  e ] to answer the following questions:
a) How much longer would it take the cocoa to cool to 35  C ?
90  C is placed in a freezer whose
b) Instead of being left to stand in a room, the cup with initial temperature
  
temperature is −15 C . How long will it take the cocoa to cool from 90 C to 35 C ?

6. A physicist finds that an unknown radioactive substance registers 2000 counts per minute on a Geiger counter. Ten days
later the substance registers 1500 counts per minute. Approximate its half-life.

51
7. The radioactive tracer Cr , with a half-life of 27.8 days, can be used in medical testing to locate the position of the
placenta in a pregnant woman. The tracer must be ordered from a medical supply lab. If 35 units are needed for a single test
and delivery requires 2 days, estimate the minimum number of units that must be ordered for each test.

8. Veterinarians use sodium pentobarbital to anesthetize animals. Suppose that to anesthetize a dog, 30 mg are required for
each kilogram of body mass. If sodium pentobarbital is eliminated exponentially from the bloodstream and half is
eliminated in four hours, approximate the single dose that will anesthetize a 20 kg dog for 45 minutes.

−4
ANSWERS: [1] 1.10  10 [2] 260 days [3] 2 min and 10 seconds
[4] 2701 years [5] (a) 17.53 minutes, (b) 13.26 minutes
[6] 24.09 days [7] 37 units [8] 683.27 mg