Differential Equations

Their Origins
Dillon & Fadyn
Spring 2000
In The Beginning
Newton inented differential equations to
des!ri"e physi!al laws#
$any of the general laws of nature are
"est e%pressed as differential equations#
E%a&ples
Newton's Se!ond (aw of
$otion
The for!e a!ting on a "ody is equal to
F
=
dt
d
) (mv =
m
dt
dv
the rate of !hange of
the &o&entu& of the "ody#

)opulation *rowth
The E%ponential $odel
The rate
dt
d
at whi!h a population grows
P
is dire!tly proportional to
k =
the si+e of the population itself#
P

Noti!e
In the e%ponential &odel,
is !onstant#
P
dt dP/
k =
the relatie
growth rate
growth rate

-elatie *rowth -ate
."solute *rowth -ate
P
dt dP/
dt
dP

)opulation *rowth
The /erhulst $odel
The relatie growth rate of a population
P
dt dP/
"ut is a fun!tion
) ( f =
is not a !onstant,
P
of the si+e of the population#

In the /erhulst $odel
P
dt dP/
) (P f =
dt
dP
P
) (P f =

) (P f
The fun!tion
!an assu&e arious for&s
leading to different &odels#

The (ogisti! $odel
P b a P f = ) (
.s the population gets larger,
the relatie growth rate
. /ersion of The /erhulst $odel
P
dt dP/
a = P
b
de!reases#

(ogisti! $odel
a
a/b
P
dt dP/
P b a =
P
P
dt dP/
-elatie growth rate as a fun!tion
of the population#
The )redator0)rey $odel
dx dt x a by
dy dt y c dx
/ ( )
/ ( )
=
= +
)opulation *rowth
. nonlinear Syste& of D#E#s
1ou're all e%perts on this now, yes2
3o&pare -elatie *rowth
-ates
(ogisti!
(ogisti!
P
dt dP/
a = P b
E%ponential
E%ponential
P
dt dP/
k =
dx dt
x
dy dt
y
a by
c dx
/
/
=
= +
)redator0)rey

$ore E%a&ples

(-3 3ir!uits
E4t5
- for resistan!e
3 for !apa!itan!e
Ele!tro&otie for!e 4"attery5
( for indu!tan!e

6ir!hoff's (aw
In words7
8The su& of the oltage
drops a!ross the passie ele&ents
in the !ir!uit equals the applied oltage#9
)assie ele&ents7
.pplied oltage7
indu!tor, resistor, !apa!itor
what the "attery supplies

/oltage Drops2
.!ross the indu!tor
dt dI L /
.!ross the resistor
I R
.!ross the !apa!itor
Q C ) / 1 (
:ere I is !urrent, Q is the !harge
on the !apa!itor#

Spe!ial Notes
; The !urrent is the sa&e at all points in
the si&ple !ir!uit we hae here#
; The !apa!itor is the only ele&ent with a
!harge asso!iated to it#
; The !urrent is the first deriatie of the
!harge on the !apa!itor#

The $odel
. differential equation that des!ri"es
the relationships in the !ir!uit
Q RI L t E
C dt
dI 1
) ( + + =
Independent aria"le
t
Dependent aria"le
I , Q

There's . )ro"le&
Two dependent aria"les are o#<# for a
partial d#e# or for a syste&#
This &odel should only hae one
dependent aria"le#
=se
dt dQ I / =
to fi% the pro"le&#

Su"stituting
Q RI L t E
C dt
dI 1
) ( + + =
Q R L t E
C
1
) ( + + =
dt
dQ
I =
dt
dQ
2
2
dt
Q d
dt
dI
=
2
2
dt
Q d

The $odel for an (-3 3ir!uit
Q R L t E
C
1
) ( + + =
dt
dQ
2
2
dt
Q d

Spring0$ass Syste&s
I&agine a &ass m suspended fro&
a spring with a fi%ed support#
Suppose the whole syste& is in a da&ping
&ediu&, li<e air, or water, or >ello#
Suppose further that there is a driing
for!e, f(t), &a<ing the &ass os!illate#

The $odel
kx c m t f
dt
dx
dt
dx
+ + =
2
2
) (

x is the displa!e&ent of the &ass,

&easured fro& the resting position

c is a !onstant depending on the

da&ping &ediu&

k is the so0!alled spring !onstant 4fro&

:oo<e's (aw5

t is the independent, x the dependent

aria"le

3o&pare
Q R L t E
C
1
) ( + + =
dt
dQ
2
2
dt
Q d
kx c m t f
dt
dx
dt
dx
+ + =
2
2
) (
(-3 3ir!uit $odel
Spring0$ass Syste& $odel

One $odel
Two entirely different
appli!ations

Final -e&ar<s
; ?e still haen't soled a differential
equation, "ut now we <now what they
&ight "e good for#