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Arkansas Tech University

MATH 2924: Calculus II


Dr. Marcel B. Finan
31 Applications to First Order Dierential
Equations: Growth and Decay Models
Dierential equations whose solutions involve exponential growth or decay
are discussed. Everyday real-world problems involving these models are also
introduced.
Consider the dierential equation
dP
dt
= kP.
Using the method of separation of variables we nd
dP
P
= kdt. Integrating
both sides to obtain ln |P| = kt+C or P(t) = Ce
kt
. Note that C = P(0) = P
0
.
Thus, P(t) = P
0
e
kt
. We say that the solution represents a growth model
when k > 0 and a decay model when k < 0.
Applications for Growth/Decay Models
Population Dynamics
If P(t) is the population of a species at time t then by the conservation
of population law the rate of change of the population is the dierence of
the rate of population increase, due for example to birth, and the rate of
population decrease, due for example to deaths. In mathematical model, we
have
dP
dt
= r
b
P r
d
P = (r
b
r
d
)P = kP
assuming that no migration exists. Thus, the population at time t is given
by
P(t) = P(0)e
kt
.
Example 31.1 (Doubling Time)
A certain population grows exponentially. The population grows from 3500
people to 6245 people in 8 years. How long will it take for the original
population to double ? This time is called the doubling time.
Solution.
We want to nd the value of t that will yield a population of 7000 peo-
ple. So if 7000 = 3500e
kt
then e
kt
= 2. To nd k we use the equal-
ity 6245 = 3500e
8k
. Taking the natural logarithm of both sides we nd
1
8k = ln

6245
3500

or k =
1
8
ln

6245
3500

0.0724. Thus, t =
ln 2
0.0724
9.58 years
Radioactive Decay
All materials are made of atoms. Radioactive atoms are unstable; that is,
they have too much energy. When radioactive atoms release their extra en-
ergy, they are said to decay. All radioactive atoms decay. The rate of change
of the mass of the radioactive substance is proportional to the mass present.
If m(t) denotes the mass of radioactive substance at time t then by the above
statement we have
dm
dt
= km, k > 0.
Thus, m(t) is given by the formula
m(t) = m(0)e
kt
, k > 0.
Example 31.2 (Half-Life)
A team of archaeologists thinks they may have discovered Fred Flinstones
fossilized bowling ball. But they want to determine whether the fossil is au-
thentic before they report their discovery to ABCs Nightline. (Otherwise
they run the risk of showing up on Hard Copy instead.) Fortunately, one
of the scientists is a graduate of ATUs Math 2924, so he calls upon his ex-
perience as follows:
The radioactive substance (Carbon 14) has a half-life of 5730 years. By mea-
suring the amount present in a fossil, scientists can estimate how old the
fossil is.
Analysis of the Flinstone bowling ball determines that 15% of the radioac-
tive substance has already decayed. How old is the fossil ?
Solution.
Radioactive decay means that we have a function of the form m(t) =
m
0
e
kt
. Using the given information we can nd k. Indeed, 0.5m
0
= m
0
e
5730k
.
Solving for k we nd k 0.000120968094. Next, we want to nd the de-
sired t. Since m(t) = .85m
0
we obtain m
0
e
0.000120968094t
= 0.85m
0
. Thus,
t =
1
0.000120968094
ln (0.85) 1343.5 years
Continuous Compound Interest:
Continuous compounding occurs when the rate of increase of a balance is
a xed percent of the balance. That is, if B(t) denotes the balance in an
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account after t years with compound interest rate k then
dB
dt
= kB.
Thus, the formula for the continuous compound interest is given by
B(t) = B
0
e
kt
.
We call k the continuous growth rate. The annual eective interest
rate is given by e
k
1.
Example 31.3
A certain investment grows from a balance of $2500 to $4132 in 12 years.
The investment account oers continuously compounded interest. What is
the annual interest rate ?
Solution.
Since B(t) = 2500e
kt
, we nd 4132 = 2500e
12k
. Thus, e
k
=

4132
2500
1
12
so that
the annual interest rate is
e
k
1 =

4132
2500

1
12
1 4.28%.
Newtons Law of Heating or Cooling
Imagine that you are really hungry and in one minute the pizza that you are
cooking in the oven will be nished and ready to eat. But it is going to be
very hot coming out of the oven. How long will it take for the pizza, which is
in an oven heated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, to cool down to a temperature
comfortable enough to eat and enjoy without burning your mouth?
Have you ever wondered how forensic examiners can provide detectives with
a time of death (or at least an approximation of the time of death) based on
the temperature of the body when it was rst discovered?
All of these situations have answers because of Newtons Law of Heating or
Cooling. The general idea is that over time an object will heat up or cool down
to the temperature of its surroundings. In terms of dierential equations, the
temperature of an object changes, over time, at a rate proportional to the
dierence between its temperature and that of its surroundings:
dH
dt
= k(S H)
where S is the temperature of the surroundings and k > 0.
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Example 31.4
The temperature of a cup of coee is initially 150

F. After two minutes its


temperature cools to 130

F. If the surrounding temperature of the room


remains constant at 70

F, how much longer must I wait until the coee cools


to 110

F?
Solution.
The dierential equation that to be solved is
dH
dt
= k(70 H), k > 0.
Using the separation of variables technique, we have
dH
H70
= kdt

dH
H70
=

kdt
H 70 = Ce
kt
Since H(0) = 150

F, we nd 150 70 = C so that H(t) = 70 + 80e


kt
. To
nd k we use the fact that T(2) = 130. In this case, 130 = 70 + 80e
2k
or
e
2k
=
3
4
. Hence, k =
1
2
ln
3
4
= ln

4
3
.
To nish the problem we must solve for t in the equation
110 = 70 + 80e
kt
.
From this equation, we nd e
kt
= 0.5 or t =
1
k
ln 0.5 =
1
ln

4
3
ln 0.5 4.81
minutes. Thus, I need to wait an additional 2.81 minutes.
Equilibrium Solutions
A physical system is often said to be in equilibrium if it doesnt change in
time. We adopt this idea and say that a solution to a dierential equation
is an equilibrium solution if it is a constant function. If y

= f(y) then a
solution y to the equation y

= 0 is called an equilibrium solution. Thus,


an equilibrium solution of y

= f(y) is a solution to the equation f(y) = 0.


The graph of such a solution is a horizontal line.
The slope eld of a given dierential equation indicates that as t increases
without bound, every solution either moves towards or moves away from
an equilibrium solution. An equilibrium solution is said to be stable if all
nearby solutions move towards the equilibrium solution as t . Thus, a
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small change in the initial conditions gives a solution that tends toward the
equilibrium solution in the long run.
If the solution veers away from the equilibrium solution as t then the
solution is said to be unstable. See Figure 31.1.
Figure 31.1
Example 31.5
The equilibrium solution of the previous example is H(t) = 70. Now, if
t then H(t) = 70 + 80e
kt
70. That is, the equilibrium solution is
a stable one.
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