Ambo University

Institute of Technology
Department of Electrical
&
Computer Engineering
Signals & Systems Analysis

Chapter Five
Laplace Transform
1
 Outline

5.1 Definition of Laplace Transform

5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform
5.3 The Inverse Laplace Transform
5.4 Application to Integro-differential
Equations

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 5.1 Definition of Laplace Transform
• We now introduce the powerful method of Laplace
transformation, which involves turning differential
equations into algebraic equations, thus greatly
facilitating the solution process.
• We use the Laplace transformation to transform the
circuit from the time domain to the frequency
domain, obtain the solution, and apply the inverse
Laplace transform to the result to transform it back to
the time domain.

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 5.1 Definition of Laplace Transform
The Laplace transform is significant for a number of
reasons.
 First, it can be applied to a wider variety of inputs than phasor
analysis.
 Second, it provides an easy way to solve circuit problems
involving initial conditions, because it allows us to work with
algebraic equations instead of differential equations.
 Third, the Laplace transform is capable of providing us, in one
single operation, the total response of the circuit comprising
both the natural and forced responses.

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 5.1 Definition of Laplace Transform…
• Given a function f(t), its Laplace transform, denoted by F(s) or
𝐿 𝑓(𝑡) , is defined by:
∞ −𝑠𝑡
𝐿 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐹 𝑠 = 0− 𝑓(𝑡)𝑒 dt….(5.1)
where s is a complex variable given by
𝑠 = 𝜎 + 𝑗𝜔
The Laplace transform is an integral transformation of a function f (t )
from the time domain into the complex frequency domain, giving F
(s).
The Laplace transform in Eq. (5.1) is known as the one-sided (or
unilateral) Laplace transform. The two-sided (or bilateral) Laplace
transform is given by
∞ −𝑠𝑡 dt
𝐹 𝑠 = −∞
𝑓(𝑡) 𝑒

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 5.1 Definition of Laplace Transform (2)
Example 1
Determine the Laplace transform of each of the following
functions shown below:

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 5.1 Definition of Laplace Transform (3)

Solution:
a) The Laplace Transform of unit step, u(t) is
given by

Lu (t )  F ( s )  
 1
 st
1e dt 
0 s

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 5.1 Definition of Laplace Transform (4)

Solution:
b) The Laplace Transform of exponential
function, e-atu(t),a>0 is given by

Lu (t )  F ( s )  
 1
at  st
e e dt 
0 s a

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 5.1 Definition of Laplace Transform (5)

Solution:
c) The Laplace Transform of impulse function,
δ(t) is given by

Lu (t )  F ( s )    (t )e  st dt  1


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 5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (1)

Linearity:
If F1(s) and F2(s) are, respectively, the Laplace Transforms of
f1(t) and f2(t)

La1 f1 (t )  a2 f 2 (t )  a1F1 (s)  a2 F2 (s)

Example:

Lcos(t )u (t )  L  e  e u (t )  2
 1 jt  jt  s
2  s 
2

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 5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (2)

Scaling:
If F (s) is the Laplace Transforms of f (t), then

L f (at )  F ( )
1 s
a a

Example:

2
Lsin(2t )u (t )  2
s  4 2
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 5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (3)

Time Shift:
If F (s) is the Laplace Transforms of f (t), then

L f (t  a)u (t  a)  e  as
F ( s)

Example:

Lcos( (t  a ))u (t  a )  e  as s
s2   2
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 5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (4)

Frequency Shift:
If F (s) is the Laplace Transforms of f (t), then

Le  at

f (t )u (t )  F ( s  a)

Example:


Le  at

cos(t )u (t ) 
sa
( s  a) 2   2
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 5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (5)
Time Differentiation:
If F (s) is the Laplace Transforms of f (t), then the Laplace
Transform of its derivative is
 df 
L  u (t )  sF ( s)  f (0 )
 dt 

As an example, we can use the above Eq. to obtain the Laplace

transform of the sine from that of the cosine. If we let
𝑓(𝑡)=cos 𝜔𝑡𝑢(𝑡), then f(0) = 1 and f’(t)= −𝜔 sin 𝜔𝑡𝑢(𝑡) using
the above equation

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 5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (6)

Time Integration:
If F (s) is the Laplace Transforms of f (t), then the Laplace
Transform of its integral is

L  f (t )dt   F ( s )
 t 1
 0  s

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5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (6)

Repeated application of the equation yields:

𝑛!
𝐿 𝑡 𝑛 = 𝑠𝑛+1

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 5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (7)

Frequency Differentiation:
If F(s) is the Laplace Transforms of f (t), then the derivative
with respect to s, is
Ltf (t )  
dF ( s )
ds

Example:  
L te  at u (t ) 
1
( s  a) 2
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 5.2 Properties of Laplace Transform (8)

Initial and Final Values:

The initial-value and final-value properties allow us to find the
initial value f(0) and f(∞) of f(t) directly from its Laplace
transform F(s).

f (0)  lim sF ( s) Initial-value theorem

s 

f ()  lim sF (s) Final-value theorem

s0

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 5.3 The Inverse Laplace Transform (1)

Suppose F(s) has the general form of

N ( s )......nume rator polynomial
F ( s) 
D( s )...denominator polynomial
The finding the inverse Laplace transform of F(s) involves
two steps:
1. Decompose F(s) into simple terms using partial fraction
expansion.
2. Find the inverse of each term by matching entries in
Laplace Transform Table.
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 5.3 The Inverse Laplace Transform (2)

Example 2
Find the inverse Laplace transform of

3 5 6
F (s)    2
s s 1 s  4
Solution:

1  3  1  5  1  6 
f (t )  L    L   L  2 
s  s 1  s 4
 (3  5e t  3 sin(2t )u (t ), t  0
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 5.4 The Convolution Integral (1)

• It is defined as y (t )   x( )h(t   )d or y (t )  x(t ) * h(t )


• Given two functions, f1(t) and f2(t) with Laplace Transforms

F1(s) and F2(s), respectively

F1 (s) F2 (s)  L f1 (t ) * f 2 (t )

• Example: y (t )  4e t and h(t )  5e 2t

 5  4 
h(t ) * x(t )  L1 H (s) X (s)  L1  
t  2t
  20(e  e ), t  0
 s  2  s  1 

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 5.5 Application to Integro-differential Equation (1)

• The Laplace transform is useful in solving linear integro-

differential equations.
• Each term in the integro-differential equation is transformed
into s-domain.
• Initial conditions are automatically taken into account.
• The resulting algebraic equation in the s-domain can then be
solved easily.
• The solution is then converted back to time domain.

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 5.5 Application to Integro-differential Equation (2)

Example 3:
Use the Laplace transform to solve the differential equation

d 2 v(t ) dv(t )
2
6  8v(t )  2u (t )
dt dt
Given: v(0) = 1; v’(0) = -2

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 5.5 Application to Integro-differential Equation (3)

Solution:
Taking the Laplace transform of each term in the given
differential equation and obtain

s V (s)  sv(0)  v' (0) 6sV (s)  v(0)  8V (s)  2s

2

Substituting v(0)  1; v' (0)  2, we have

2 s 2  4s  2 1 1 1
( s  6s  8)V ( s)  s  4  
2
 V ( s)  
4 2
 4
s s s s2 s4
By the inverse Laplace Transform,
1
v(t )  (1  2e  2t  e  4t )u (t )
4
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