Chapter 3.

Applications of First order Differential equations

Outcome 9: Recognize the governing differential equations frequently arise in engineering situations
Outcome 5: Sketch solutions of differential equations in the phase plane.
We consider the following applications of first order differential equations.
1. Orthogonal trajectories: Two families of curves such that every member of either family cuts each
member of the other family at right angles are called orthogonal trajectories of each other
Cartesian Coordinates

If (, , ) = 0 is the differential equation of the family of curves then the differential equation

of the system of orthogonal trajectories of the family is (, , ) = 0.

Procedure to find orthogonal trajectories (, , ) = 0

a) Form the differential equation (, , ) = 0 .

b) Replace

to get the differential equation of the system of orthogonal trajectories.

c) Solve the differential equation obtained in the above step to get the equation of the system of
orthogonal trajectories.
Polar Form (, , ) =

a) Form its differential equation in the form (, , ) = 0 by eliminating c.

b) Replace in this differential equation

by 2

c) Solve the differential equation of the orthogonal trajectories i.e. ( , , 2 ) = 0.

Exercise: 3.1
i)
ii)

Find the orthogonal trajectories of = .

Find the orthogonal trajectories of astroids 2/3 + 2/3 = 2/3 .

iii)

Find the orthogonal trajectories of

iv)
v)

Find the orthogonal trajectories of the following.

) 2 = 4
b) 2 = 3
Show that the system of confocal and coaxial parabolas 2 = 4( + ) is self orthogonal.

vi)

Find the orthogonal trajectories of the family of curves 2 + 2 + = 1 where is a parameter.

vii)

Find the orthogonal trajectories of the following:

a) = (1 )
b) =
c) = , where a is the parameter

2
2

+ 2 + = 1 , where is arbitrary.

d) = 1+ where a is the parameter.

2. Physical Applications:
There are many types of applications involving first order differential equations. Here we study few
of them in different headings.
1. Heating and Cooling
Newtons law of cooling states that the rate of change of the temperature of a body is proportional
to the temperature difference between the body and its surrounding medium.
We know that the mathematical formulation of Newtons empirical law of cooling of an object given by the
linear first order differential equation.

= ( 0 ) Where T be the temperature of the body at any time t and T0 be the temperature of the

surrounding at that particular time

This is a separable differential equation. We have

=
( 0 )
0 = +

| 0 | = +

= 0 + 2

Example 1 : When a chicken is removed from an oven, its temperature is measured at 300. Three minutes
later its temperature is 200. How long will it take for the chicken to coof off to a room temperature of
70.
Solution: We have T0 =70 and T= 300 at t=0.
300 = 70 + 2 0 2 = 230
For t=3, T (3)=200
Now we put t=3, T (3)=200 and 2 =230 , T= 0 + 2
200 = 70+230 3 =

1
13
23
3

= 0.19018

Thus , T= 70 +230 0.19018

2. Free falling Problem

These problems will involve the formula = where = velocity , a = acceleration and t = time. For a
falling object the acceleration will be that due to gravity which is - 9.81m/ 2 in metric units ( here ve sign
is used since gravity accelerates a body downwards). Let y(t) be the height of an object at time T, we see
that

= ( velocity is the time rate of change of position)

Thus = is the differential equation.

Example: An object os dropped from a height of 500m.When will the object reach ground level, and with
what speed.
3. Electrical Circuits.
Let us consider the RL (resistor and inductor L) circuit shown above. At t= 0 the switch is closed and current
passes through the circuit. Kirchhoffs second law states that the sum of the voltage drop across the

inductor ( L) and the voltage drop across the resistor (iR) is the same as the impressed voltage ( E(t) ) on

the circuit.Thus the current flow i(t) satisfies the linear equation L + = ().
Example: A 12 volt battery is connected to simple series circuit in which the inductance is 0.5 Henry and
the resistance is 10 ohms. Determine the current I of the initial current is zero.
4. 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 = where is the first derivative of P , k > 0 .

The differential equation of population growth and decay is given by
()
= ()

Where N(t) denotes population at time time t and k is a constant of proportionality, serves as a model for
population growth and decay of insects, animals and human population at certain places and duration.
()
= ()

Integrating on both sides we get () = +

ln

()

= or N(t)=

Example 1. The population of community is known to increase at a rate proportional to the number of
people present at time t. If the population has doubled in 6 years, how long it will take to triple?
Sol. Let N(t) denote the population at time t. Let N(0) denote the initial population ( t=0).
()
= ()

Integrating we get N(t)= where C= N(0)

6 = (6) = 2 (0) = 2
Or 6 = 2 =

1
2
6

Find t when N(t) = 3C = 3 N(0)

or 3 = 62

or t =

63
~9.6
2

Example: A culture has 0 number of bacteria. At t = 1 hour the number of bacteria is measured to be 1.5
0 . If the rate of growth is proportional to the number of bacteria present, determine the time necessary
for the number of bacteria to triple.
5. Exponential Decay- Radio Active Decay 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.

= ,

is the first derivative ,k> 0 and t is the time.

Example: A fossilized bone is found to contain 1000 the original amount of radio active carbon C-14. Given
the half - life of C-14 is approximately 5600 years, determine the age of the fossil.
Exercise 3.2
1.

Consider a circuit containing resistance R and inductance L in series with a voltage source E.
Let be the current flowing in the circuit at any time t. Then by Kirchoffs first law, +

. Find the value of the current.

2.

The first order differential equation

+ = describes a series RC circuit. By using

the initial condition v(0)=1 , show that = (

3.

+ 1)

A moving body is opposed by a fore per unit mass of value cx and resistance per unit of mass
of value 2 where x and v are the displacement and velocity of the particle at that instant.
Find the velocity of the particle in terms of x, if it starts from rest. The equation of motion of
the body is given by

4.

= 2 .

The velocity , = + , of an object is defined by =

where s is the displacement, u is

1

initial velocity and a is the acceleration , given that t=0 , s=0 show that = + 2 2
5.

A particle free to move along a line, becomes subject to an acceleration 0 along the
line. If initially, the particle is at rest at the origin, show that its displacement at any subsequent

time is 02 (1 ).
6.

The bending moment, M, of a beam of length l is given by

= ( + ) where w is the constant

load. Find an expression for M in terms of x.

7.

Consider a tank full of water which is being drained out through an outlet. The height H (m) of water
in the tank at time t (s) is given by
expression for H in terms of t.

= (2.8 103 ) .Given that when t =0, H = 4, find an