Differential Equations

Exercise 2: Modelling and Problem Solving with Differential Equations

1. Select the differential equation that could be used to model each of the following situations

a) The rate at which mass, 𝑚, is lost during the decay of a radioactive material is directly proportional
to the mass at that time.

d𝑚
A = −𝑘𝑚, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
d𝑚
B = 𝑘𝑚, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
d𝑚 𝑘
C = , 𝑘>0
d𝑡 𝑚
d𝑚 1
D = 𝑚, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡 𝑘

b) The rate of decrease of voltage, 𝑉, over time in an electrical circuit is directly proportional to the
square of the voltage.

d𝑉
A = −𝑘√𝑉, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
d𝑉 𝑘
B = , 𝑘>0
d𝑡 𝑉2
d𝑉
C = −𝑘𝑉 2 , 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
d𝑉
D = √𝑘𝑉, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
c) The rate at which the depth of water, ℎ, in a tank decreases over time is directly proportional to
the square root of the depth of water in the tank.

dℎ
A = −𝑘√ℎ, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
dℎ 𝑘
B = 2, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡 ℎ
dℎ
C = 𝑘√ℎ, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
dℎ
D = √𝑘ℎ, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡

d) When a throat pastille is being sucked, the rate of decrease of its radius, 𝑟, over time is inversely
proportional to the square of its radius.

d𝑟
A = −𝑘√𝑟, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
d𝑟 𝑘
B =− , 𝑘>0
d𝑡 𝑟2
d𝑟
C = −𝑘𝑟 2 , 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
d𝑟
D = √𝑘𝑟, 𝑘 > 0
d𝑡
2. The rate of change for the progression of a virus in terms of infecting a population is thought to be
d𝑁
= 𝑘𝑁(104 − 𝑁) for a quarantined population of size 10,000 with 𝑁 being the number of infected
d𝑡
people and time, 𝑡, being measured in days.

Initially 1% of the population are infected, but after 8 days this has risen to 20%.

a) Find the particular solution for these conditions in terms of 𝑁 and 𝑡.

d𝑁
= 𝑘𝑁(104 − 𝑁)
d𝑡

1
∫ d𝑁 = ∫ 𝑘 d𝑡
𝑁(104 − 𝑁)

1 𝐴 𝐵
≡ +
𝑁(104 − 𝑁) 𝑁 104 − 𝑁

1 = 𝐴(104 − 𝑁) + 𝐵𝑁

𝑁=0 1 = 104 𝐴 ⇒ 𝐴 = 10−4

1 1
10−4 ∫ + 4 d𝑁 = ∫ 𝑘 d𝑡
𝑁 10 − 𝑁

10−4 (ln 𝑁 − ln(104 − 𝑁)) = 𝑘𝑡 + 𝑐 divide by 10−4 making two new constants 𝐾 and 𝐶

𝑁
ln ( 4 ) = 𝐾𝑡 + 𝐶
10 − 𝑁

𝑁
= 𝑒 𝐾𝑡+𝐶
104 −𝑁

𝑁
= 𝐴𝑒 𝐾𝑡
104 −𝑁

𝑡 = 0, 𝑁 = 100

100 1
= 𝐴𝑒 0 ⇒ 𝐴 =
104 − 100 99

𝑁 1 𝐾𝑡
= 𝑒
104 − 𝑁 99
 𝑡 = 8, 𝑁 = 2000

2000 1 8𝐾
= 𝑒
104 − 2000 99

99
𝑒 8𝐾 =
4

99
8𝐾 = ln
4

𝐾 = 0.4011

𝑁 1 0.4011𝑡
= 𝑒
104 − 𝑁 99

b) Determine when 50% of the population will be infected according to this model.

Give your answer to the nearest day.

𝑁 = 5000

5000 1 0.4011𝑡
= 𝑒
104 − 5000 99

𝑒 0.4011𝑡 = 99

0.4011𝑡 = ln 99

𝑡 = 11.456

50% will be infected before the end of day 12.

The rate at which the water level goes down may be modelled by either

dℎ
A = −√ℎ or
d𝑡

B ℎ = 1 − sin 𝑘𝑡

where ℎ is the height of the rainwater surface in the butt from the base and 𝑡 is time in hours.

Initially, after heavy rain, the butt is full.

a) Find ℎ as a function of 𝑡 for model A

dℎ 1
= −ℎ2
d𝑡
1
∫ −ℎ−2 dℎ = ∫ d𝑡

1
−2ℎ2 = 𝑡 + 𝑐

𝑡 = 0, ℎ = 1.2

−2√1.2 = 𝑐

−2√ℎ = 𝑡 − 2√1.2

2 2
2√1.2 − 𝑡 (2√1.2 − 𝑡)
ℎ=( ) =
2 4
 dℎ
b) Find in terms of 𝒉 for model B
d𝑡

dℎ
= −𝑘 cos 𝑘𝑡
d𝑡

sin 𝑘𝑡 = 1 − ℎ

sin2 𝑘𝑡 = (1 − ℎ)2

cos2 𝑘𝑡 = 1 − (1 − ℎ)2 = 1 − 1 + 2ℎ − ℎ2 = 2ℎ − ℎ2

dℎ
= −𝑘√2ℎ − ℎ2
d𝑡

c) If the predicted time taken for the butt to empty is the same for both models, find the value of the
constant 𝑘.

Model A: 0 = 2√1.2 − 𝑡

𝑡 = 2√1.2

Model B: 0 = 1 − sin 𝑘𝑡

𝜋
𝑘𝑡 =
2
𝜋
2√1.2𝑘 =
2
𝜋
𝑘=
4√1.2
4. The rate of increase of an amount 𝑐 units of chemical present in a reaction is given by
d𝑐
= 12(9 − 𝑐 2 ) and initially none of this chemical was present.
d𝑡

Express 𝑐 in terms of 𝑡.

d𝑐
= 12(9 − 𝑐 2 )
d𝑡

1
∫ d𝑐 = ∫ 12 d𝑡
9 − 𝑐2

1 𝐴 𝐵
≡ +
(3 − 𝑐)(3 + 𝑐) 3 − 𝑐 3 + 𝑐

1 = 𝐴(3 + 𝑐) + 𝐵(3 − 𝑐)

1
𝑐=3 1 = 6𝐴 ⇒ 𝐴 = 6
1
𝑐 = −3 1 = 6𝐵 ⇒ 𝐵 = 6

1 1 1
∫ + d𝑐 = ∫ 12 d𝑡
6 3−𝑐 3+𝑐

1
(− ln(3 − 𝑐) + ln(3 + 𝑐)) = 12𝑡 + 𝑐
6

3+𝑐
ln ( ) = 72 + 𝐾
3−𝑐

3+𝑐
= 𝐴𝑒 72𝑡
3−𝑐

𝑡 = 0, 𝑐 = 0 ⇒ 𝐴 = 1

3+𝑐
= 𝑒 72𝑡
3−𝑐

3 + 𝑐 = 3𝑒 72𝑡 − 𝑐𝑒 72𝑡

𝑐(1 + 𝑒 72𝑡 ) = 3(𝑒 72𝑡 − 1)

𝑒 72𝑡 − 1
𝑐 = 3( )
𝑒 72𝑡 + 1
5. A body starts from the origin with velocity 50 ms −1 and moves along the 𝑥 axis of a Cartesian grid
experiencing an acceleration of 1 + 𝑣 2 directed towards the origin.

a) Find the time it takes to come to rest in seconds giving your answer to three significant figures.

d𝑣
𝑚 = −(1 + 𝑣 2 )𝑚
d𝑡

1
∫ d𝑣 = − ∫ 1 d𝑡
1 + 𝑣2

tan−1 𝑣 = −𝑡 + 𝑐

𝑡 = 0, 𝑣 = 50

tan−1 50 = 𝑐

tan−1 𝑣 = −𝑡 + tan−1 50

𝑣=0

0 = −𝑡 + tan−1 50

𝑡 = tan−1 50

𝑡 = 1.55 s to 3 s.f.
b) Find the distance it has travelled in metres giving your answer to three significant figures.

Using
d𝑣 d𝑣
=𝑣
d𝑡 d𝑠

d𝑣
𝑣 = −(1 + 𝑣 2 )
d𝑠
𝑣
∫ d𝑣 = − ∫ 1 d𝑠
1 + 𝑣2

1
ln(1 + 𝑣 2 ) = −𝑠 + 𝑘
2

𝑠 = 0, 𝑣 = 50

1
ln(2501) = 𝑐
2

1 1
𝑠= ln(2501) − ln(1 + 𝑣 2 )
2 2

1 2501
𝑠= ln ( )
2 1 + 𝑣2

𝑣=0

1
𝑠 = 2 ln(2501) = 3.91 m to 3 s.f.
6. Newton's law of cooling states that the rate at which an object cools is proportional to the difference in
temperature between the object and its surroundings.

The temperature, 𝜃°𝐶 of a bowl of soup, 𝑡 minutes after it has been poured satisfies the differential
equation

d𝜃
= −𝑝(𝜃 − 𝑞)
d𝑡

where 𝑝 and 𝑞 are constants.

The temperature of the surroundings of the bowl of soup is 22°𝐶.

a) i) What is the value of 𝑞?

𝑞 = 22 “the difference in temperature between the object and its surroundings”

The rate of cooling when 𝜃 = 72 is 10°𝐶 per minute.

ii) What is the value of 𝑝? Give your answer as a decimal.

−10 = −𝑝(72 − 22)

−10 = −50𝑝

𝑝 = 0.2
The temperature, 𝛷°𝐶, of a different bowl of soup, 𝑡 minutes after being poured, satisfies the
differential equation

dΦ
= −𝑟(Φ − 20)
d𝑡

where 𝑟 is a constant.

b) i) Find the general solution to this differential equation?

dΦ
= −𝑟(Φ − 20)
d𝑡

1
∫ dΦ = ∫ −𝑟 d𝑡
Φ − 20

ln(Φ − 20) = −𝑟𝑡 + 𝑘

Φ − 20 = 𝐴𝑒 −𝑟𝑡

Φ = 20 + 𝐴𝑒 −𝑟𝑡
ii) Given that 𝛷 = 85 when 𝑡 = 0 and that 𝛷 = 70 when 𝑡 = 2, find the particular solution of the
differential equation for these constraints?

Φ = 85, 𝑡 = 0

85 = 20 + 𝐴 ⇒ 𝐴 = 65

Φ = 70, 𝑡 = 2

70 = 20 + 65𝑒 −2𝑟

50 = 65𝑒 −2𝑟

50
𝑒 −2𝑟 =
65

10
𝑒 −2𝑟 =
13

13
𝑒 2𝑟 = = 1.3
10

2𝑟 = ln 1.3

1
𝑟 = ln 1.3
2
𝑡
Φ = 20 + 65𝑒 −2 ln 1.3
An object in an industrial oven has temperature 𝑇°𝐶 at time 𝑡 where

𝑇 = 900 + 400𝑒 sin 𝑡

and 𝑡 is measured in days.

The rate of change of the temperature of the object over time can be expressed as

d𝑇
= f(𝑡) (𝑇 − 𝑐)
d𝑡

where 𝑐 is a constant.

c) i) Find f(𝑡)

𝑇 = 900 + 400𝑒 sin 𝑡

d𝑇
= 400𝑒 sin 𝑡 cos 𝑡
d𝑡

400𝑒 sin 𝑡 = 𝑇 − 900

d𝑇
= cos 𝑡 (𝑇 − 900)
d𝑡

f(𝑡) = cos 𝑡

ii) What is the value of the constant 𝑐?

𝑐 = 900