SYDE 112 Spring 2022

Assignment 4, due June 20 (end of day)

2
(1) (a) Verify that u = Ae−(x−ct) , where A and c are constants, is a solution to the one-dimensional
wave equation

(∗) utt = c2 uxx

(b) Graph u versus x for t = 0, 1c , 2c , 3c on the same axes. With what speed does the wave move
along the x−axis?
(2) In a study of frost penetration it was found that the temperature T at time t (measured in days)
at a depth x (measured in feet) can be modeled by the function

T (x, t) = T0 + T1 e−kx sin(ωt − kx)

2π
where ω = 365 and k is a positive constant.
(a) Find T x. What is its physical meaning?
(b) Find T t. What is its physical meaning?
(c) Show that T satisfies the heat equation Tt = aTxx . What is the value of the constant a in
terms of k and ω?  
2π nπ
• Sketch T as a function of t on t ∈ 0, , for x = , n = 0, 1, 2, 3.
 ω  2k
2π nπ
• Sketch T as a function of x on x ∈ 0, , for t = , n = 0, 1, 2, 3.
k 2ω
Use the values T0 = 0, T1 = 10, and k = 0.2 for the above sketches. Feel free to use mathe-
matical software such as MATLAB.
Interpret the results physically. (e.g. What happens to the amplitude and to the oscillatory
part of T (x, t) in each case for the different values of x and t?)