CHAPTER 3: FIRST ORDER LINEAR MODEL

In this section 3.1, we are going to solve some mathematical models that are linear first order differential equations.

Growth and Decay Half-Life of Radioactive Substance Newtons Law of Cooling

Growth and Decay The Malthusian model (1798) of population growth is based on the assumption that the rate at which the population of a country grows at a certain time is proportional to the total population of the country at that time.
dP dP P = kP dt dt

P(t) = population at time t k = constant of proportionality

Growth and Decay In general, a linear model involving growth/decay:

dP = kP , dt

P (0) = P0

P(t) = population at time t k = constant of proportionality P0 = initial population

Growth and Decay: (Solution)

dP = kP , dt

P (0) = P0

Can be solved using separable variable methods:

dP 1 = kP dP = kdt ln P = kt + c dt P P (t ) = c1e kt P (0) = P0 c1e0 = P0 c1 = P0 P (t ) = P0 e kt

Growth/Decay Formula

Example 1: (Growth/Decay) The population of a town grows at a rate proportional to the population present at time . The initial population of 4000 increases by 20% in 5 years. What will be the population in 15 years? Let: P(t) = population of a town at time t (year)

dP = kP , dt

P (0) = 4000

Model Equation: P (t ) = P0 e kt

Example 2: (Growth/Decay) The population of a country grows at a rate proportional to the population present at time t. The initial population of 600,000 increases to 1 million in 15 years. (a) Determine the population after 20 years. (b) How long will it take for the population to double?

Example 2: (Growth/Decay) The population of a country grows at a rate proportional to the population present at time t. The initial population of 600,000 increases to 1 million in 15 years. Let: P(t) = population of a country at time t (year)

dP = kP , dt
Model equation:

P (0) = 600,000

P (t ) = P0 e kt

Given: P (15) = 1,000,000

Half-Life of Radioactive Substance In physics, the half-life is a measure of the stability of a radioactive substance. The half-life is simply the time it takes for one-half of the atoms in an initial amount to disintegrate, or transmute, into the atoms of another element.

The longer the half-life of a substance, the more stable it is.

Half-Life of Radioactive Substance In general, the mathematical model for the decay of a radioactive substance is:

dA = kA , dt

A(0) = A0

A(t) = Amount of radioactive substance at time t A(0) = A0 (initial amount of radioactive substance)
Formula: A(t ) = A0 e kt

A0 Half-Life: A(thalf-life ) = 2

Example 1 (Half-Life) Initially, 50 mg of a radioactive substance is present. Five days later, the quantity has decreased to 40 mg. What is the half-life of this radioactive substance? Let: A(t) = amount of radioactive substance at time t (day)

dA = kA , dt

A(0) = 50 , A(5) = 40

What is the half-life of this radioactive substance?

A(thalf life ) = 25

Example 1 (Half-Life) A(t) = amount of radioactive substance at time t (day)

dA = kA , dt
Formula:

A(0) = 50

A(t ) = A0 e kt A(t ) = 50e kt

Given A(5) = 40 mg, so we can find the value of k : 4 5k 5k A(5) = 40 40 = 50e e = 5

1 4 k = ln 0.044629 5 5

Example 2 (Half-Life) Radioactive isotope of lead Pb-209, decays at a rate proportional to the amount present at time t and has half-life of 3.3 hours. If 1 gram of isotope is present initially, how long will it take for 90% of the lead to decay? Let: A(t) = amount of radioactive substance at time t (hour)

dA = kA , dt

A(0) = 1 , A(3.3) = 0.5 , A(t ) = 0.1

Newtons Law of Cooling Newtons Law of Cooling states that the temperature of an object changes at a rate proportional to the difference between its temperature and its surroundings. The mathematical model is given by:
dT = k (T Tm ) , T (0) = T0 dt

T(t) = temperature of an object at time t T(0) = T0 (initial temperature) Tm = temperature of the medium around the object (ambient temperature)

Newtons Law of Cooling This linear model can be solved using separable variable methods: dT = k (T T ) , T (0) = T m 0 dt
1 (T Tm )dT = kdt ln T Tm = kt + c T Tm = c1e kt T (t ) = Tm + c1e kt T (0) = T0 c1 = T0 Tm T (t ) = Tm + (T0 Tm )e kt

Example 1: (Newtons Law of Cooling) A metal bar, with an initial temperature at 250C, is placed into a container of boiling water. It was observed that the temperature of the metal bar increases 30C in 1 minute. Determine the time required for the metal bar to reach 850C.

Example 2: (Newtons Law of Cooling) A cup of coffee is poured from a pot whose contents are 950C into a non-insulated cup in a room at 200C. After a minute, the coffee has cooled to 900C. How much time is required before the coffee reaches a drinkable

temperature of 650C ?

Example 3: (Newtons Law of Cooling) A hot bowl of soup cools from 700C to 600C after 10 minutes inside a refrigerator that measures -50C. How many more minutes will it take for the soup to reach 400C?

Discussion
A detective is called to the scene of a crime where a dead body has just been found. She arrives on the scene at 10:23 pm and begins her investigation. Immediately, the temperature of the body is taken and is found to be 80oF. The detective checks the programmable thermostat and finds that the room has been kept at a constant 68oF for the past 3 days. After evidence from the crime scene is collected, the temperature of the body is taken once more and found to be 78.5oF. This last temperature reading was taken exactly one hour after the first one. The next day the detective is asked by another investigator, What time did our victim die? Assuming that the victims body temperature was normal (98.6oF) prior to death, what is her answer to this question?.