MODULE NO.
7
TOPIC 3 APPLICATIONS OF FIRST
ORDER DIFFERENTIAL
EQUATIONS
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH AND
DECAY / NEWTON’S LAW OF
COOLING
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH AND DECAY
The Law of Exponential Change (L.E.C.) states that the rate
of change of the amount of a substance is proportional to its
amount present or remaining at any instant.
Let:
𝑄 → the amount of substance present at any instant
𝑑𝑄
→ the rate of change of Q
𝑑𝑡
From the Law of Exponential Change:
𝑑𝑄
𝛼𝑄
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑄
= 𝑘𝑄
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑄
න = 𝑘 න 𝑑𝑡
𝑄
ln 𝑄 = 𝑘𝑡 + 𝐶1
𝑒 ln 𝑄 = 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + 𝐶1
𝑄 = 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 ∙ 𝑒 𝐶1
𝑄 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘𝑡 ; 𝐶 = 𝑒 𝐶1
where:
𝑘 > 0 → for exponential growth
𝑘 < 0 → for exponential decay
EXAMPLES
1. The present population of 25,000 of a community increases
to 40,000 in 10 years. What will be its population in another 10
years?
Solution:
Determine 𝑃
Let:
𝑃 → the population of the community at any instant
𝑑𝑃
→ the rate of change of 𝑃
𝑑𝑡
From the Law Exponential Change:
𝑃 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘𝑡 → 1
For 𝐶; when 𝑡 = 0, 𝑃 = 25,000
25,000 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘 0
or
𝐶 = 25,000
Hence, 1 becomes
𝑃 = 25,000𝑒 𝑘𝑡 → 2
For 𝑘; when 𝑡 = 10 years, 𝑃 = 40,000
40,000 = 25,000𝑒 𝑘(10)
10𝑘
40,000
𝑒 =
25,000
10𝑘 ln 𝑒 = ln 1.6
𝑘 = 0.0470
Hence, 2 becomes
𝑃 = 25,000𝑒 0.0470𝑡
For 𝑃; when 𝑡 = 20 years
𝑃 = 25,000𝑒 0.047 20
𝑃 = 64,000 ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
2. If 10% of the amount of radioactive substance disappears in
200 years, find the amount remaining after 600 years. What is
its half-life? (Half-life is the time required for half the initial
amount of substance to disappear or decay.)
Solution:
a. determine 𝑅
Let:
𝑅 → the amount of radioactive substance present at any instant
𝑑𝑅
→ the rate of change of 𝑅
𝑑𝑡
From the Law Exponential Change:
𝑅 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘𝑡 → 1
For 𝐶; when 𝑡 = 0, 𝑅 = 𝑅0 ; the initial amount of radioactive
substance
𝑅0 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘 0
or
𝐶 = 𝑅0
Hence, 1 becomes;
𝑅 = 𝑅0 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 → 2
For 𝑘; when 𝑡 = 200 years, 𝑅 = 1 − 0.10 𝑅0 = 0.90𝑅0
0.90𝑅0 = 𝑅0 𝑒 𝑘 200
200𝑘 ln 𝑒 = ln 0.90
𝑘 = −0.000527
Hence, 2 becomes
𝑅 = 𝑅0 𝑒 −0.000527𝑡
For 𝑅; when 𝑡 = 600 years
𝑅 = 𝑅0 𝑒 −0.000527 600
𝑅 = 0.729𝑅0 ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
b. determine 𝑡ℎ ; the half-life
For 𝑡ℎ ; when 𝑅 = 0.50𝑅0
0.50𝑅0 = 𝑅0 𝑒 −0.000527𝑡ℎ
𝑒 −0.000527𝑡ℎ = 0.50
−0.000527𝑡ℎ ln 𝑒 = ln 0.50
𝑡ℎ = 1,315.27 years ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
NEWTON’S LAW OF COOLING
This law states that the rate of change of the temperature
of a body is proportional to the temperature difference between
the body and the surrounding medium.
Let:
𝑇𝑏 → the temperature of the body at any instant
𝑇𝑚 → the temperature of the surrounding medium
𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑚 → the temperature difference
𝑑𝑇𝑏
→ the rate of change of 𝑇𝑏
𝑑𝑡
From Newton’s Law of Cooling:
𝑑𝑇𝑏
𝛼 𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑚
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑇𝑏
= 𝑘 𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑚
𝑑𝑡
or
𝑑𝑇𝑏
න = 𝑘 න 𝑑𝑡
𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑚
ln 𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑚 = 𝑘𝑡 + 𝐶1
𝑒 ln 𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑚
= 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + 𝐶1
𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑚 = 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 ∙ 𝑒 𝐶1
𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑚 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘𝑡 ; 𝐶 = 𝑒 𝐶1
3. A thermometer in a room at 20℃ is brought outdoors where
the temperature is 15℃. After 2 minutes, the thermometer
reads 18℃. Find the thermometer reading after 3 minutes.
Solution:
determine 𝑇𝑟
Let:
𝑇𝑟 → the thermometer reading at any instant
𝑇𝑟 − 15 → the temperature difference
𝑑𝑇𝑟
→ the rate of change of 𝑇𝑟
𝑑𝑡
From Newton’s Law Cooling:
𝑇𝑟 − 15 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘𝑡 → 1
For 𝐶; when 𝑡 = 0, 𝑇𝑟 = 20℃
20 − 15 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘 0
𝐶=5
Hence, 1 becomes
𝑇𝑟 − 15 = 5𝑒 𝑘𝑡 → 2
For 𝑘; when 𝑡 = 2 minutes, 𝑇𝑟 = 18℃
18 − 15 = 5𝑒 𝑘 2
𝑒 2𝑘 = 0.60
2𝑘 ln 𝑒 = ln 0.60
𝑘 = −0.255
Hence, 2 becomes
𝑇𝑟 − 15 = 5𝑒 −0.255 𝑡
For 𝑇𝑟 ; when 𝑡 = 3 minutes
𝑇𝑟 = 15 + 5𝑒 −0.255 3
𝑇𝑟 = 17.327℃ ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
4. A body at a temperature of 50℉ is placed in an oven whose
temperature is kept at 150℉. If after 10 minutes the temperature of
the body is 75℉, find a the expression for the temperature of the
body at time 𝑡 and b the time required for the body to reach a
temperature of 100℉.
Solution
a. Determine 𝑇𝑏 ; the temperature of the body at time 𝑡
Let:
𝑇𝑏 → the temperature of the body at any instant
𝑇𝑏 − 150 → the temperature difference
𝑑𝑇𝑏
→ the rate of change of 𝑇𝑏
𝑑𝑡
From Newton’s Law Cooling:
𝑇𝑏 − 150 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘𝑡 → 1
For 𝐶; when 𝑡 = 0, 𝑇𝑏 = 50℃
50 − 150 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑘 0
𝐶 = −100
Hence, 1 becomes
𝑇𝑏 − 150 = −100𝑒 𝑘𝑡 → 2
For 𝑘; when 𝑡 = 10 minutes, 𝑇𝑏 = 75℉
75 − 150 = −100𝑒 𝑘 10
𝑒 10𝑘 = 0.75
10𝑘 ln 𝑒 = ln 0.75
𝑘 = −0.0288
Hence, 2 becomes
𝑇𝑏 − 150 = −100𝑒 −0.0288𝑡
𝑇𝑏 = 150 − 100𝑒 −0.0288𝑡 ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
b. Determine 𝑡; the time required when the body temperature is
100℉
For 𝑡; when 𝑇𝑏 = 100℉
100 − 150 = −100𝑒 −0.0288𝑡
𝑒 −0.0288𝑡 = 0.50
−0.0288𝑡 ln 𝑒 = ln 0.50
𝑡 = 24.068 min ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
EXERCISE NO. 1
1. Radium decomposes at a rate proportional to the amount
present. If the half-life is 1,600 years, that is, half of any given
amount is decomposed in 1,600 years, find the percentage
remaining at the end of 200 years.
2. A bacteria culture is known to grow at a rate proportional to
the amount present. Find (a) an expression for the
approximate number of bacteria in the culture if the initial
number is 300 and if it is observed that the population has
increased by 20% after 2 hours, (b) the number of bacteria
present in the culture after one day, and (c) the amount of time
it will take the culture to double its original population.
3. The population of a certain town is known to increase at a rate
proportional to the number of people presently living in the
community. If after 2 years the population has doubled, and after 3
years the population is 20,000, find the number of people initially
living in the town.
4. A bacteria culture is known to grow at a rate proportional to the
amount present. After one hour, 1,000 bacteria are observed in the
culture; and after 3 hours, 3,000. (a) Find an expression for the
number of bacteria present in the culture at any time 𝑡 . (b)
Determine the number of bacteria in the culture after 5 hours.
5. A body at a temperature of 50℉ is placed in an oven whose
temperature is kept at 150℉. If after 10 minutes the temperature of
the body is 75℉, find the time required for the body to reach a
temperature of 100℉.
6. A metal bar at a temperature of 100℉ is placed in a room at
a constant temperature of 10℉ . If after 20 minutes the
temperature of the bar is 50℉, find (a) an expression for the
temperature of the bar at any time 𝑡 and (b) the time it will take
for the bar to reach a temperature of 25℉.
7. A thermometer reading of 36℉ is placed in an oven. After
one and two minutes respectively, it reads 60℉ and 82℉.
What is the temperature of the oven?
8. A body whose temperature is initially 100℃ is allowed to
cool in air whose temperature remains at a constant 20℃.
Find (a) a formula which gives the temperature of the body as
a function of time 𝑡 if it is observed that after 10 minutes the
body has cooled to 40℃ and (b) the time it will take for the
body to reach 30℃.