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Newton's Law of Cooling states that the temperature of an object changes at a rate
proportional to the difference in temperature between its own temperature and the
temperature of its surroundings. Writing in differentials, we have;
𝒅𝒖
= −𝒌(𝒖 − 𝒖𝒔 )
𝒅𝒕
where u is the temperature of the object, 𝑢𝑠 is the temperature of the surrounding and –k is
the proportional constant. Deriving for the formula, we have;
𝑑𝑢
= −𝑘(𝑢 − 𝑢𝑠 )
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑢
= −𝑘𝑑𝑡 Separation of Variable
(𝑢−𝑢𝑠 )
𝑑𝑢
∫ (𝑢−𝑢 ) = −𝑘 ∫ 𝑑𝑡 Integrating both sides
𝑠
ln|𝑢 − 𝑢𝑠 | = −𝑘𝑡 + 𝐶1
𝑢 − 𝑢𝑠 = 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡+𝐶1
𝑢 − 𝑢𝑠 = 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 ∙ 𝑒 𝑐1
When t = 0, 𝑢 = 𝑢𝑖 or the initial temperature of the object. Hence by substituting the values
to equation 1;
𝑢𝑖 = 𝐶𝑒 −𝑘(0) + 𝑢𝑠
𝐶 = 𝑢𝑖 − 𝑢𝑠
PRACTICAL EXAMPLES:
A thermometer which has been at the reading of 70°F inside a house is placed
outside where the air temperature is 10°F. Three minutes later it is found that the
thermometer reading is 25°F. Find the thermometer reading after 6 minutes.
Solution:
𝑢𝑖 = 70
𝑢𝑠 = 10
𝑢 = (𝑢𝑖 − 𝑢𝑠 )𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 + 𝑢𝑠
𝑢 = 25 when t = 3
15 = (60)𝑒 −3𝑘
15
= 𝑒 −3𝑘
60
1 1
𝑘 = − ln ( )
3 4
2. Suppose that a corpse was discovered in a motel room at midnight and its
temperature was . The temperature of the room is kept constant at .
Two hours later the temperature of the corpse dropped to . Find the time of
death.