TOPIC 4

APPLICATION OF FIRST ORDER

DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
We formulate and solve few problems in this connection.

Growth and Decay

This problem occurs in various fields like economic growth, growth of bacte-
ria, decay of radio-active elements in physics, growthof population e.t.c.

a. In Biology its often observed that the rate at which certain bacteria
grows is proportional to the number of bacteria present at any time,
determine the equation of the number of bacteria if initially N0 of
bacteria is present. Solution
Let the number of bacteria present at any time t be N

dN dN
∴ αN, ⇒ = kN, k>0
dt dt
Separation of variables and integrating we get:
∫ ∫
dN
= kdt
N
giving N = Aekt , but t = 0, N = N0 , ⇒ A = N0

∴ N = N0 ekt

Example

A theatre, initially has N0 number of bacteria. At t = 1hr the number

of bacteria is measured to 32 N0 . If the rate of growth is proportional to
the number of bacteria present, determine the time necessary for the
bacteria to triple.

1
 Solution

N = N0 ekt

t = 1, N = 32 N0 , ⇒ 32 N0 = N0 ek , k = ln 23
3
∴ N = N0 et ln 2

t =?, N = 3N0

3 t 3
∴ 3N0 = N0 eln( 2 ) = N0 ( )t
2
t log 23 = log 3
log 3
t= = 2.71hrs.
log 32
b. Rutherford showed that the radio-active decay of a substance is directly
proportional to the number atoms present. Thus if x(t) denotes the
dx
number of atoms present at time t, then dt
is the number of atoms
that disintegrate per unit time is proportional to x. i.e.
dx dx
− αx, ⇒ = −kx
dt dt
i.e. is known as the decay constant > 0, solving the equation;

x = Ae−kt

t = 0, x = x0 ⇒ A = x0

∴ x = x0 e−kt

It is convenient to express the rate of decay of a radioactive equation

in terms of its half-life, i.e. the time required for the half of the original
x0
quantity of the radioactive substance to decay. i.e. t =?, x= 2

x0
⇒ = x0 e−kt
2
2
 1 ln 2
ln = −kt, ⇒t=
2 k

Example

The rate of decay of a radioactive material is proportional to the

amount present. The half-life of the material is 10 years. How long
does it take for 90% of the material to disintegrate?

Solution

x = x0 e−kt = x0 e−t 10
ln 2

t =?, x = 0.1x0 i.e.

−t
0.1x0 = x0 e−t 10 = 2 10
ln 2

t
− ln 10 = − ln 2
10
10 ln 10
t= = 33.22yrs
ln 2

Newton’s law of cooling

It states that the rate at which the temperature T (t) changes in a cooling
body is proportional to the difference between the temperature of the body
T (t) and that of the constant temperature T0 of the surrounding medium.
i.e.
dT dT
− α(T − T0 ), ⇒ = −k(T − T0 )
dt dt
∫ ∫
dT
= −k dt
T − T0
giving
T = T0 + Ae−kt

3
 Example
When a cake is removed from a baking oven its temperature is 3000 F.
Three minutes later its temperature is 2000 F. How long will it take to cool
to 1000 F if the room temperature is 700 F.
Solution
T = T0 + Ae−kt
t = 0, T = 300, T0 = 70

∴ 300 = 70 + A, ⇒ A = 230

T = 70 + 230e−kt

t = 3, T = 200;

200 = 70 + 230e−3k ⇒ 130 + 230e−3k

13 1 13
⇒ −3k = ln ⇒k= ln
23 3 23
∴ T = 70 + 230e− 3 ln 13
1 23

when T = 100;
−t
23
100 = 70 + 230eln( 13 ) 3

23 −t
= 70 + 230( )3
13
−t
i.e. ( 23
13
) 3 = 3
23
−t 23 3
⇒ ln = ln
3 13 23
23
3 ln 3
∴t=
ln 23
13
Exercise/Test
A thermometer is taken from an inside room to the outside where the air
temperature is 50 F , after 1 minute the thermometer reads 550 F and after 5
minutes the reading is 300 F . What is the initial temperature of the room?

4
Electric circuits

Consider the electric circuit

figure insert

Where L is the inductor

R is the Resistor
C is the Capacitor
E is the voltage source
i is the Current.

Experiments show that the voltage

di
a. drop across the inductor is L dr

b. drop across the resistor is iR

∫ i(t) Q(t)
c. drop across the capacitor is c
dt = c

dQ(t)
where Q(t) is the charge is dt
=i
By Kirchhoff’s second law of voltage; the voltage impressed on a closed
loop is equal to the sum of the voltage drop in the rest of the loop i.e. The
inductance L is measured in henry’s
The resistance R is measured in ohms
The capacitance C is measured in farads
The current i is measured in amperes.

di Q(t)
L + iR + = E(t) (1)
dt C
If no condenser is present in the circuit, then C = ∞ and (1) educes to :
di
L + iR = E(t)
dt
5
 Example
A 12 volt-battery is connected to a simple series circuit in which the
1
inductance is 2
henry, R = 10ohms. Determine the current i if the initial
current is 20A
Solution

1 di
+ 10i = 12, i(0) = o
2 dt
I.F = e20t ∫
∴ ie 20t
= 24 e20t dt

24 20t
= e +c
20
6
= i(t) = + ce−20t
5
t = 0, i(0) = 0 = 6
5
+ c ⇒ c = − 65

6[ ]
∴ i(t) = 1 − e−20t
5

For a circuit containing a resistor and an inductor only we have;

di
L + iR = E(t)
dt

with the general solution as

R ∫
e( L )t R −R
i(t) = e( L )t E(t) + ce( L
)t
(∗)
L

In particular when E(t) = E0 , a constant then (*) becomes;

E0 E0 −R
i(t) = + (c )e L t (∗∗)
R R

as t → ∞, the second term in (**) approaches zero such a term is called

a transient term, the remaining term is called the steady state part of the
solution; i.e. ER0 is called the steady-state current.

6
Mixing Problems

A solution containing a fixed concentration of substance x flows into a tank

containing the substance x and probably other substances at a specified rate.
The mixture is stirred together very rapidly and then leaves the tank again at
a specified rate. Find the concentration of the substance x in the tank at any
time t. The method of solution is demonstrated in the following example.
Example
Initially 50 lb of salt is dissolved in a large tank holding 300 gattoms
of water. A brine solution is pumped into the tank at a rate of 3 gal/min
and a well stirred solution is then pumped out at the same rate. If the
concentration of the solution entering is 2lb/gal, determine the amount of
salt in the tank at any time. How much salt is present after 50min?, after a
long time?
Solution
Let A(t) be the amount of salt (in lb) in the tank at any time. The net
rate at which A(t) changes is given by;
dA
= (rateof subst.entering) − (rateof subst.leaving) = (R1 − R2 )
dt
R1 = (3gal/min).(2lb/gal) = 6lb/min
A A
R2 = (3gal/min).( 300 lb/gal) = 100
lb/min
dA A
∴ =6−
dt 100
−t
giving A = 600 + ce 100
t = 0, A = 50, ⇒ c = −550
−t
∴ A(t) = 600 − 550e 100
−1
t = 50 : A(50) = 600 − 550e 2 = 266.41lb
t → ∞, A → 600.

7
 Assignment 4
A population of insects in a region will grow at a rate that is proportional
to their current population. In the absence of any outside factors the popula-
tion will triple in two weeks time. On any given day there is a net migration
into the area of 15 insects and 16 are eaten by the local bird population and
7 die of natural causes. If there are initially 100 insects in the area will the
population survive? If not, when do they die out?