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..~, UNIVERSITEIT VAN PRETORIA
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
YUNIBESITHI YA PRETORIA

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
FSK
GRA 2: Graphs

The exponential function y = ax

Exponential functions are described by a mathematical relationship of the form y = a•. Note that the
variable is in the exponent. a is the base and it is raised to the power of the controlling variable, x. We use
only positive values for the base.
We are dealing with an exponential function whenever the growth rate of a certain quantity is constant.
For instance the growth rate of the human population is approximately 1,53% per year. That means that if
the population was Pi in a particular year it would be 1, 0153 Pi in the following year. The startling nature
of this type of funct ion is that although the growth rate might seem small the quantity itself increases (or
decreases) quite fast (exponentially) over time . Examples of such processes are:

a. The decay of radioactive material.The amount of radioactive isotopes decreases exponentially

with time as they mutate to other elements. In this case the relation is of the form y = a·• to
reflect that the quantity is decreasing.
b The growth rate of a colony of bacteria, given enough resources, is directly proportional to the
size of the colony at that particular time. That is, the amount by which they change per unit
time, or db/dt, becomes more as the amount of bacteria that is present increases, or db/dto:.b.
This is evident in the fact that the gradient of the graph of the amount of bacteria present as a
function of time increases as the amount of bacteria increases - see figure 1. The
proportionality constant is the growth rate, r, of the colony (which ls constant) . We
incorporate the growth rate as follows into the exponential function
b =an
In this way, it controls how fast the function is increasing.

-1------- 1

Rgure 1 · Th e amount of bacteria ,n a colony w,th time

22
 C. The emptying of water from a tank. .
d. The reduct ion in air pressure with h~,g~t. h teat which the capacitor discharges
·t in a circuit. T e ra . h
e. The discharging of a capaci or ·t decreases similar to t e rate at which a
I ctric charge on 1 '
decreases as the amount of e e
colony of bacteria changes .
_ 71828. should be used . The exponent·
e 2
1 d, that t he base - ,
For naturally occuring processes we oft en fin
1a1

function then becomes

y = Yo e •rx

for decreasing functions and

V = Yo e "'

for increasing functions . y0 is the starting value for the function, that is when the control variable, x, is
zero.

Logarithms
If y = a• then we say that the logarithm of y to the base a is x or log (y} = x. The logarithm of a number is
therefore the exponent to wh ich the base must be raised in order to obtain that number.
Common logarithms are to the base 10. In such a case the base is not indicated explicitly, for example
log(lOO) = 2. We speak of natural or Napierian logarithms when the base is e. In such a case we write In
rather than log , for example ln(2,00) = 0,693.

Transforming graphs of exponential functions to straight-line graphs

If one physical quantity, y, is decreasing exponentially with respect to another, x, then
Y = Yo e ·lx

Taking the natural logarithms on both sides of this relationship we get

fuiy) = [&) + 0
/.me -ZX )

I.®, )- I.®, J + {- Z)x ........ ............ (1)

r r t t
y = C + mX

We can therefore transform an exponential graph to a linear g h •t

I
of x. Note that the gradient of the linear graph will be the n rt~P we plot a graph of ln(y} as a function
. . . ega 1ve ofthe de \ h . - .).
and ,ts y-mtercept will be the natural logarithm of the start· cay constant, I\, t at 1s m - '
1
mg va ue or c = /n(y 0) .

Semi-logarithmic graph paper

To save the effort of first calculat ing the logarithms, special
paper has been designed w ith the grid lines drawn at lo . ghra~h paper called semi -logarithmic graph
gant m1c int I d' ·
sions along the other. Such graph paper is used to draw erva s along one axis and linear ivi·
exponential functions.
Grap h
c- fitting an expon ential functio n to data
is how would one
ies that increase ot decrease exponen tially are relatively common. The question '
auan tlt between the
,ecogn1z. e it from a set of data. and how would one set up the mathem atical relationship
. bl es ? In this section, we intend to answer these questions.
vana

of a radioact ive sample was •measured with a radiation detector over a period of seven
The COunt rate • •
to fit the data to the exponential function:
hours. The data is displayed in Table 1. We intend

wt1ere RO and lambda are constants .

Toble 3•. The decreasing

acrivlry of a radioactive sample.

,-----
nme, t (hours) Count Rate, R (counts/ s)
- 1.0 4803
' 2.0 3010
C
3.0 1890
4.0 1233
5.0 754
6.0 472
7.0 319

1. Draw a graph of the count rate, R, of the sample as a function of time,

t. Try and draw a smooth curve
through the data points. How can you tell if the relationship is linear or not?

(NOTE: Use the graph paper provided on the next page)

24
GRAPH Cl

NOTE: Apply the lab g raph rules

properly to earnfi II
u marks!
 ake a new table with x-values, the time , in h ours and th
M
logarithm to the base e) of the count rate values. e y-va 1ues, the natural logarithm (that is the

h tfl tl liour5
1.0
2.0
3.0
.o
C. . 0

2 Draw a graph of this new set of values (ins rt it h

· . e on t e next page) . It should be linear if the original data
linear function if the
can be represented by an exponen tial function. Note that one would also obtain a
graph is linear
data were to be plotted on a semi-log arithmic graph paper. The fact that the second
confirms our suspicion that you can fit an exponential function to the data.

(NOTE: Use the graph paper provided on the next page)

ln(R) and time,

3a. Explain how you know that there is a linear relationship between the natural logarithm
t, values. Determine they-inte rcept, y0 , and the slope, a, of the graph. You need to choose arbitrary
Show your full
points 1 and 2 (not data points!) for the slope as far apart as possible on the graph.
calculations and values.

=
=

R d t values and substitute the constant values

3 th o ·splay the units if any, of the inserted
b. Write down the linear relations hip between e In( ) an. ,
. h I' ear equation. ,
You found for they-inte rcept and slope into t e '"
constants.

-0
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NOTE-. AP.'PIY 1h e lab

grapl, rules
properly to
earnju/l· marks'
4a. Show that

ln(R) = InfRo) + (-A)t ......... (2)

by taking the natural logarithms on both sides of equation 1. Compare th is equation to your empirical
equation in question S. Explain why y0 = Jn(Ro) and a= -A. Use th is information to determine the
correspond ing values, and units, for Ro and A.

n R :: -CJ 511~1( - I i + g lj
w~c re In R)

4b. Write equation 1 down aga in with the corresponding values, and units, for the constants in the
equation. This is the exponential function for the data.

Q.

Sa. At th is point you can say that the radioactive sample is decaying exponentially according to equation 1.
Explain what the meaning of the half-life, r, 12 , of this process is.

ano

• t show that the relationship between the half-life and the decay constant, A, is
Sb. Next use equation 1 o

ln(2) = A T1;z .........(3)

28
 . t·
~ Sc. Calculate the value of the hal 'f T using equa ,o n 3 . Inc lud e the uni ts for the half-lif
f-Ir e, 112, e.

n l
o 5 t ~o\.lrS-t
\ 13 ~tr.S

Summary
For an exponential relationship
between the variables, we obt
ain a line ar gra ph on nor mal
we plot the natural logarithm of graph paperd
the dep end ent values versus
the ind epe nde nt va lues. An
function also produces a stra ight exponential
-line graph if it is dra wn on sem
i-lo gar ithm ic gra ph paper.
Power funct ions are linear if dra
wn on log-log graph pap er. On
nor ma l gra ph pap er th ey prod
graph if one plots the common uce alinear
logarithm of the dep end ent valu
independent values. es ver sus the com mo n loga rithm of the

Given a set of measurements of

two quantities, how wo uld one
between them by drawing a grap det erm ine the em piri cal rela
h? tionship

• First plot the data on axes with

linear divisions. One can rea dily
such a graph is linear. It is a dire set up the em piri cal relations hip
ct pro por tion . ii
• If a ~trai~ht line is not obtained,
plo t one set of values aga inst
straight lme, we have an inverse the inve rse of the oth er. If this
pro por tion . isa
• If a straight line · f11
rs s I not Obtam•
ed, we res ort to gra phs in wh
are logarithmic. ich the divisions on one or bo th axes
• First try a semi-log gra h·
. .
. . . P · 0 ne axis has hne ar divi sion s, and the oth er axe . · W
spaced drv1s1ons. A strai h r s has logarrthmica
• If t h· .
is rs unsuccessful one
g t me suggests tha t one can . he data
fit an exp one ntia l relationship
that are loga ·th . I tot .
th
. can Po t e dat a on a dou ble dl\lisiOn1
n mrcally rntersp - log plo t, wh ere bot h axes ha\le . can
be fitte d t h d A
ace · stra .igh t-lin e gra ph the
o t e data . n suggests a pow er re 1afons1 h1P

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