Applications of Differential Equations
We present examples where differential equations are widely applied to model natural phenomena, engineering systems, and many other situations.
Application 1: Exponential Growth - Population
Let \( P(t) \) be a quantity that increases with time \( t \) and the rate of increase is proportional to the same quantity \( P \) as follows \[ \frac{dP}{dt} = kP \] where \( \frac{dP}{dt} \) is the first derivative of \( P \), \( k > 0 \), and \( t \) is the time. The solution to the above first-order differential equation is given by \[ P(t) = A e^{kt} \] where \( A \) is a constant not equal to 0. If \( P = P_0 \) at \( t = 0 \), then \[ P_0 = A e^0 \] which gives \( A = P_0 \). The final form of the solution is given by \[ P(t) = P_0 e^{kt} \] Assuming \( P_0 \) is positive and since \( k \) is positive, \( P(t) \) is an increasing exponential. \( \frac{dP}{dt} = kP \) is also called an exponential growth model.
Application 2: Exponential Decay - Radioactive Material
Let \( M(t) \) be the amount of a product that decreases with time \( t \) and the rate of decrease is proportional to the amount \( M \) as follows \[ \frac{dM}{dt} = -kM \] where \( \frac{dM}{dt} \) is the first derivative of \( M \), \( k > 0 \), and \( t \) is the time. Solve the above first-order differential equation to obtain \[ M(t) = A e^{-kt} \] where \( A \) is a non-zero constant. If we assume that \( M = M_0 \) at \( t = 0 \), then \[ M_0 = A e^0 \] which gives \( A = M_0 \). The solution may be written as follows \[ M(t) = M_0 e^{-kt} \] Assuming \( M_0 \) is positive and since \( k \) is positive, \( M(t) \) is a decreasing exponential. \( \frac{dM}{dt} = -kM \) is also called an exponential decay model.
Application 3: Falling Object
An object is dropped from a height at time \( t = 0 \). If \( h(t) \) is the height of the object at time \( t \), \( a(t) \) the acceleration, and \( v(t) \) the velocity. The relationships between \( a \), \( v \), and \( h \) are as follows: \[ a(t) = \frac{dv}{dt}, \quad v(t) = \frac{dh}{dt}. \] For a falling object, \( a(t) \) is constant and is equal to \( g = -9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \). Combining the above differential equations, we can easily deduce the following equation \[ \frac{d^2h}{dt^2} = g \] Integrate both sides of the above equation to obtain \[ \frac{dh}{dt} = gt + v_0 \] Integrate one more time to obtain \[ h(t) = \frac{1}{2}gt^2 + v_0t + h_0 \] The above equation describes the height of a falling object, from an initial height \( h_0 \) at an initial velocity \( v_0 \), as a function of time.
Application 4: Newton's Law of Cooling
It is a model that describes, mathematically, the change in temperature of an object in a given environment. The law states that the rate of change (in time) of the temperature is proportional to the difference between the temperature \( T \) of the object and the temperature \( T_e \) of the environment surrounding the object. \[ \frac{dT}{dt} = -k(T - T_e) \] Let \( x = T - T_e \) so that \( \frac{dx}{dt} = \frac{dT}{dt} \). Using the above change of variable, the above differential equation becomes \[ \frac{dx}{dt} = -kx \] The solution to the above differential equation is given by \[ x = A e^{-kt} \] substitute \( x \) by \( T - T_e \) \[ T - T_e = A e^{-kt} \] Assume that at \( t = 0 \) the temperature \( T = T_0 \) \[ T_0 - T_e = A e^0 \] which gives \( A = T_0 - T_e \)The final expression for \( T(t) \) is given by \[ T(t) = T_e + (T_0 - T_e)e^{-kt} \] This last expression shows how the temperature \( T \) of the object changes with time.
Application 5: RL Circuit
More References and Links
Differential EquationsSolve Differential Equations Using Laplace Transform