The Heat Equation in one Dimension

Justice Harry
April 1, 2015

Introduction

In the early 1980s, a French Scientist J.Fourier began a mathematical study

of heat. He found out that deeper understanding of heat flow have significant
applications in science and within industry.
Suppose we have a thin bar of length L wrapped the x-axis; so that x=0
and x=L are the ends of the bar. we assume that the bar is of homogeneous
material, is straight and have uniform cross-sections. further, suppose that the
sides of the bar are perfectly insulated so that no heat passes through them.
Since our bar is thin, the temperature U can be consider constant on any given
cross section and so depends on the horizontal position along the x-axis. Hence
U is a function of only of position x and t. where t=time i.e U = U (x, t). we
want to show that
Ut = k 2 Uxx
, where k 2 = Thermal diffusivity which depends on the material of the bar ,
with unit of Length2 /T ime
let consider a section D in the bar with ends x0 and1
Now the total amount of Heat H = H(t) in D is
Z x1
H(t) =
cU (x, t)dx
(1)
x0

where c=specific heat of the material, and = mass density of the material
Differentiating (using Libniz rule) we have
Z x1
dH
= c
Ut (x, t)dx
(2)
dt
x0
now, since the sides of the bar are insulated, the only way heat heat can flow
into or out of D is through the ends x0 and x1
Fourier law of heat flow states that: heat flows from hotter regions to colder
regions and the flow rate is proportional to Ux .
Now the net rate change H in D is just the rate at which heat enters D minus
the rate at which heat leaves D
dH
= kUx (x0 , xt ) (kUx (x1 , t)
dt
1

(3)

the mius signs appears in the above term since there will be a positive flow
of heat from left to right only if the
temperature is greater on the left of x1 = x0 than the right [ in this case,
Ux (x0 , t) will be negative] .
Simplifying (2) with the help of Fundamental Theory of Calculus
we have
Z x1
dH
Uxx (x, t)dx
(4)
= kUx (x1 , t) kUx (x0 , t) = k
dt
x0
comparing (1) and (2) for dH/dt, we have the relationship:
Z x1
Z x1
Uxx (x, t)dx
Uxx (x, t)dx = k
c

(5)

x0

x0

cUt = kUxx

(6)

the above PDE is satisfy for our interval of interest, from x=0, and x=L for
all t 0
the PDE essentially describes a fundamental physical balance: the rate at
which heat flows into any portion of the bar is
equal to the rate at which heat is absorbed into that portion of the bar.
Hence, sometimes
cUt = absorption
and
kUxx = flux
cUt = absorption

(7)

kUxx = flux

(8)

and,
Rearranging (6) we have
Ut = k 2 Uxx , where,k 2 =

= thermalconductivity

(9)

In 3D, we can write in different notation:

 2

u
u 2u 2u
2
=k
+ 2 + 2
t
x2
y
z
Comparing the heat equation to the wave equation , we see that ;they are
almost the same. But the left hand side of the wave equation is a second order
differential equation.
 2

2u
u 2u 2u
2
=
+ 2 + 2
t2
x2
y
z