The Laplace Transform

The University of Tennessee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Knoxville, Tennessee
wlg

The Laplace Transform

The Laplace Transform of a function, f(t), is defined as;

L[ f (t )] F ( s) f (t )e dt
st

Eq A

The Inverse Laplace Transform is defined by

j

1
ts
Eq B
L [ F ( s )] f (t )
F
(
s
)
e
ds

2 j j
1

*notes

The Laplace Transform

We generally do not use Eq B to take the inverse Laplace. However,
this is the formal way that one would take the inverse. To use
Eq B requires a background in the use of complex variables and
the theory of residues. Fortunately, we can accomplish the same
goal (that of taking the inverse Laplace) by using partial fraction
expansion and recognizing transform pairs.
*notes

The Laplace Transform

Laplace Transform of the unit step.

1 st
L[u(t )] 1e dt e |
0
s
0
st

1
L[u(t )]
s
The Laplace Transform of a unit step is:

*notes

1
s

The Laplace Transform

The Laplace transform of a unit impulse:
Pictorially, the unit impulse appears as follows:
(t t0)

f(t)
t0

0
Mathematically:

(t t0) = 0 t
*note

t 0

(t t )dt 1
0

t0

The Laplace Transform

The Laplace transform of a unit impulse:
An important property of the unit impulse is a sifting
or sampling property. The following is an important.

t2

t1

t1 t 0 t 2
f (t 0 )
f (t ) (t t 0 )dt
t 0 t1 , t 0 t 2
0

The Laplace Transform

The Laplace transform of a unit impulse:
In particular, if we let f(t) = (t) and take the Laplace

L[ (t )] (t )e dt e
0

st

0 s

The Laplace Transform

An important point to remember:

f (t ) F ( s)
The above is a statement that f(t) and F(s) are
transform pairs. What this means is that for
each f(t) there is a unique F(s) and for each F(s)
there is a unique f(t). If we can remember the
Pair relationships between approximately 10 of the
Laplace transform pairs we can go a long way.

The Laplace Transform

Building transform pairs:

L[e u(t )] e e dt e
at

at

st
L(e

( s a ) t

st

e
1

L[e u( t )]
|0
(s a)
sa
at

A transform
pair

at

e u( t )

1
sa

dt

The Laplace Transform

Building transform pairs:

L[tu(t )] te dt
st

udv uv | vdu
0

tu(t )

1
2
s

u=t
dv = e-stdt
A transform
pair

The Laplace Transform

Building transform pairs:

(e jwt e jwt ) st
L[cos( wt )]
e dt
2
0
1 1
1

2 s jw s jw
s
2
s w2

cos( wt )u(t )

s
s2 w2

A transform
pair

The Laplace Transform

Time Shift

L[ f (t a )u(t a )] f (t a )e st
a

Let x t a , then dx dt and t x a

As t a , x 0 and as t , x . So,

f ( x )e s ( x a ) dx e as f ( x )e sx dx
0

L[ f (t a )u(t a )] e

as

F ( s)

The Laplace Transform

Frequency Shift

L[e

at

f (t )] [e

at

st

f (t )]e dt

f ( t )e

( s a ) t

dt F ( s a )

L[e

at

f (t )] F ( s a )

The Laplace Transform

Example: Using Frequency Shift
Find the L[e-atcos(wt)]
In this case, f(t) = cos(wt) so,

s
F ( s) 2
s w2

(s a)
and F ( s a )
(s a)2 w 2

L[e

at

(s a)
cos( wt )]
( s a)2 (w)2

The Laplace Transform

Time Integration:
The property is:

t
st
L f (t )dt f ( x )dx e dt
0
0 0

Integrate by parts :
t

Let u f ( x )dx , du f (t )dt

0

and
st

dv e dt ,

1 st
v e
s

The Laplace Transform

Time Integration:
Making these substitutions and carrying out
The integration shows that

1
f (t )dt f (t )e st dt
s0
1
F ( s)
s

The Laplace Transform

Time Differentiation:
If the L[f(t)] = F(s), we want to show:

df (t )
L[
] sF ( s ) f (0)
dt
Integrate by parts:

u e , du se dt and
df ( t )
dv
dt df ( t ), so v f ( t )
dt
st

*note

st

The Laplace Transform

Time Differentiation:
Making the previous substitutions gives,

df
L
f ( t )e

dt

| f (t ) se dt

st
0

0 f (0) s f (t )e st dt
0

So we have shown:

df (t )
L
sF ( s ) f (0)

dt

st

The Laplace Transform

Time Differentiation:
We can extend the previous to show;
df (t ) 2
2
L

s
F ( s) sf (0) f ' (0)
2
dt
df (t ) 3
3
2
L

s
F
(
s
)

s
f (0) sf ' (0) f ' ' (0)
3
dt
general case
df (t ) n
n
n 1
n 2
L

s
F
(
s
)

s
f
(
0
)

s
f ' (0)
n
dt
... f ( n 1) (0)

The Laplace Transform

Transform Pairs:
f(t)
(t )

u( t )

tn

1
s
1
sa
1

f (t )
F ( s)
____________________________________

e st
t

F(s)
1

s2
n!
s n 1

The Laplace Transform

Transform Pairs:
f(t)
te

at

n at

t e

sin( wt )
cos( wt )

F(s)
1

s a2
n!
( s a )n 1
w
s2 w 2
s
s2 w 2

The Laplace Transform

Transform Pairs:
f(t)

e at sin( wt )
e

at

cos( wt )

sin( wt )
cos( wt )

F(s)
w
(s a)2 w 2

sa
2
2
(s a) w
s sin w cos
s2 w2
s cos w sin
2
2
s w

Yes !

The Laplace Transform

Common Transform Properties:
f(t)

F(s)

f ( t t 0 )u( t t 0 ), t 0 0
f ( t )u( t t 0 ), t 0
e at f ( t )
d n f (t )
dt n

e
e

to s

to s

F ( s)

L[ f ( t t 0 )

F (s a)
s n F ( s ) s n 1 f ( 0) s n 2 f ' ( 0) . . . s 0 f n 1 f ( 0)
dF ( s )
ds

tf ( t )

1
F ( s)
s

f ( )d

The Laplace Transform

Using Matlab with Laplace transform:
Example

Use Matlab to find the transform of

te 4t

The following is written in italic to indicate Matlab code

syms t,s
laplace(t*exp(-4*t),t,s)
ans =
1/(s+4)^2

The Laplace Transform

Using Matlab with Laplace transform:
Example

F ( s)

Use Matlab to find the inverse transform of

s ( s 6)
2

( s 3)( s 6 s 18)

prob.12.19

syms s t
ilaplace(s*(s+6)/((s+3)*(s^2+6*s+18)))
ans =
-exp(-3*t)+2*exp(-3*t)*cos(3*t)

The Laplace Transform

Theorem:

Initial Value Theorem:

If the function f(t) and its first derivative are Laplace transformable and f(t)
Has the Laplace transform F(s), and the lim sF ( s ) exists, then
s

lim sF ( s ) lim f ( t ) f (0)

s
t0

Initial Value
Theorem

The utility of this theorem lies in not having to take the inverse of F(s)
in order to find out the initial condition in the time domain. This is
particularly useful in circuits and systems.

The Laplace Transform

Example: Initial Value Theorem:
Given;
F ( s)

( s 2)
( s 1) 2 5 2

Find f(0)

f (0) lim sF ( s ) lim s

s

lim

s 2
s

( s 2)
( s 1)

lim

52 s

s2 s2 2 s s2
2

s 2 s s ( 26 s )

s 2 2s
2

s 2 s 1 25

The Laplace Transform

Theorem:

Final Value Theorem:

If the function f(t) and its first derivative are Laplace transformable and f(t)
has the Laplace transform F(s), and the lim sF ( s ) exists, then
s

lim sF ( s ) lim f ( t ) f ( )
s0

Final Value
Theorem

Again, the utility of this theorem lies in not having to take the inverse
of F(s) in order to find out the final value of f(t) in the time domain.
This is particularly useful in circuits and systems.

The Laplace Transform

Example: Final Value Theorem:
Given:
F ( s)

( s 2) 2 3 2

( s 2)

32

note F 1 ( s ) te 2 t cos 3t

Find f ( ) .

f ( ) lim sF ( s ) lim s
s0

s0

( s 2) 2 3 2

( s 2)