Chapter 9: Problem 21
Solve the exponential growth/decay initial value problem for \(y\) as a function of \(t\) by thinking of the differential equation as a first-order linear equation with \(P(x)=-k\) and \(Q(x)=0 :\) $$\frac{d y}{d t}=k y \quad(k\( constant \)), \quad y(0)=y_{0}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The solution is \( y(t) = y_0 e^{kt} \).
Step by step solution
01
Recognize the Form of Differential Equation
The equation \( \frac{d y}{d t} = k y \) is a first-order linear differential equation where \( k \) is a constant. The general form of a first-order linear differential equation is \( \frac{dy}{dt} + P(t)y = Q(t) \). Here, we identify \( P(t) = -k \) and \( Q(t) = 0 \).
02
Rearrange and Integrate the Equation
Rearrange the differential equation to separate variables: \[ \frac{1}{y} \frac{d y}{d t} = k \]. Integrating both sides with respect to \( t \), we get: \[ \int \frac{1}{y} dy = \int k \, dt \].
03
Calculate the Integrals
The integration results in:\[ \ln |y| = kt + C \]where \( C \) is the constant of integration. This follows from the fact that the integral of \( \frac{1}{y} \) is \( \ln |y| \) and the integral of \( k \) with respect to \( t \) is \( kt \).
04
Solve for \(y\) in Terms of \(t\)
Exponentiate both sides to solve for \( y \):\[ |y| = e^{kt + C} \]. Since \( e^{C} \) is a constant, it can be written as another constant \( C' \), so:\[ |y| = C' e^{kt} \]. We can express \( y \) as:\[ y = C' e^{kt} \], assuming \( C' > 0 \).
05
Apply the Initial Condition
Given the initial condition \( y(0) = y_0 \), substitute \( t = 0 \) into the equation: \[ y_0 = C' e^{k\cdot0} = C' \]. This means \( C' = y_0 \). The equation becomes:\[ y(t) = y_0 e^{kt} \].
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
First-Order Linear Differential Equation
A first-order linear differential equation is one where the highest derivative is first order. In our exercise, the equation \( \frac{dy}{dt} = ky \) represents such an equation. Generally, the form of a first-order linear differential equation is \( \frac{dy}{dt} + P(t)y = Q(t) \). In this problem:
- \( P(t) \) is \(-k\), a constant coefficient.
- \( Q(t) \) is 0, meaning there's no additional function altering the rate of change.
Initial Value Problem
An initial value problem involves solving a differential equation with a given initial condition. The initial condition is provided as \( y(0) = y_0 \), where \( t = 0 \) is the starting point and \( y_0 \) is the initial amount or state of the system.In our specific problem, this initial value condition is essential:
- It allows us to solve for the constant of integration \( C' \).
- By applying the condition, we find that \( y(0) = y_0 \) such that \( C' = y_0 \).
- This step tailors the generic solution of the differential equation to fit the situation described by the initial state.
Separation of Variables
Separation of variables is a technique used to solve differential equations by isolating the dependent and independent variables on opposite sides. To apply this method to \( \frac{dy}{dt} = ky \), we rearrange the terms:
- Move \( y \) to the left side: \( \frac{1}{y} \frac{dy}{dt} = k \).
- The equation shows that the rate of change of \( y \) is proportional to \( y \) itself, a hallmark of exponential functions.
Integration of Differential Equations
Once the variables are separated in a differential equation, the next step is integration. By integrating \( \int \frac{1}{y} dy = \int k \, dt \), we find:
- The left integral becomes \( \ln |y| \).
- The right integral becomes \( kt + C \), where \( C \) is an integration constant.
- \( y(t) = y_0 e^{kt} \)