1 3.

CHAPTER 3.1: LINEAR MODELS LINEAR MODELS

A mathematical model is an equation or set of equations that attempt to give a mathematical description of some real phenomenon. A model is built based on the assumptions that describe the relationships among the quantities to be studied. It involves dependent and independent variables, as well as parameters. In constructing a model, we must assume all factors that can possibly influence the system, and whether the influence is considered negligible or important, eg. air friction. If the influence is considered important, then it should be translated into some mathematical expression to be included in the model. Often, time is taken as the independent variable. The parameters are usually constants and do not change with the independent variable. Often parameters must be adjusted by comparing the solutions of the model as experimental results. In this section 3.1, we are going to solve some mathematical models that are linear first order differential equations.

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 (ie. The more people there are at time t , the more there are going to be in the future). If P (t ) denotes the total population at time t , then this assumption can be expressed as
dP P dt
or

dP = k P ( k is a constant of proportionality) dt

This simple model, however, does not take into account many factors that can influence human population such as immigration, emigration, death and birth. This model, nevertheless, turned out to be fairly accurate in predicting the population of the US during the years 1790-1800.

CHAPTER 3.1: LINEAR MODELS

So, in general, the IVP:

dP = k P, P (0) = P0 ( P0 is the initial number) dt serves as a model for phenomena involving growth or decay.

This model is still used to study growth of small population over short intervals of time, eg. bacteria growth in a petri dish. (Q4) The population of bacteria in a culture grows at a rate proportional to the number of bacteria present at time t . After 3 hours, it is observed that there are 400 bacteria present. After 10 hours, there are 2000 bacteria present. What was the initial number of bacteria?

Half-Life
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 A0 to disintegrate, or transmute, into the atoms of another element. The longer the halflife of a substance, the more stable it is. If A = A(t ) be the amount of substance at time t , and A0 be the initial amount, then the mathematical model for the decay of a radioactive substance is expressed in the form of the following IVP:
dA = k A, dt A(0) = A0

( k is a constant of proportionality). (Q6) Initially 100 milligrams of a radioactive substance was present. After 6 hours, the mass had decreased by 3%. If the rate of decay is proportional to the amount of substance present at time t , find the remaining after 24 hours.

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 that of its surroundings. The mathematical model is given by:

CHAPTER 3.1: LINEAR MODELS

dT = k (T Tm ) dt

where T (t ) is the temperature of the object for t > 0 ,

Tm

is the ambient temperature, ie. the temperature of the medium around the object,

k is a constant of proportionality.

(Q14) A thermometer is taken from an inside room to the outside, where the air temperature is 5o F . After 1 minute, the thermometer reads 55o F , and after 5 minutes, it reads 30o F . What was the initial temperature of the inside room?

Series Circuit
Kirchhoffs Second Law states that: (a) for an LR series circuit, the sum of the voltage drop across the inductor di L and the voltage drop across the resistor ( Ri ) is the same as the dt impressed voltage on the circuit ( E (t )) . Its mathematical model is the linear differential equation:

di + Ri = E (t ) dt

L and R are constants known as inductance and resistance, respectively.

(b) for an RC series circuit, the sum of the voltage drop across the resistor ( Ri ) 1 and the voltage drop across the capacitor q is the same as the impressed C voltage on the circuit (E (t ) ) . Its mathematical model is the linear differential equation:

Ri +

1 q = E (t ) C

CHAPTER 3.1: LINEAR MODELS

but current i and charge q are related by i = may also be expressed as:
R dq 1 + q = E (t ) dt C

dq , so the differential equation dt

(Q30) A 200-volt electromotive force is applied to an RC series circuit in which the resistance is 1000 ohms and the capacitance is 5 106 farad. Find the charge q (t ) on the capacitor if i (0) = 0.4. Determine the charge and current at t = 0.005 seconds. Determine the charge as t .

Reference: A First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Applications (9th Ed) Dennis G. Zill, Brooks/Cole Publishing Company