Arkansas Tech University

MATH 2924: Calculus II

Dr. Marcel B. Finan
32 First Order Dierential Equations Mod-
els:Mixing Problems and Motion of a Falling
Body with Air Resistance
Since most physical situations involve something changing, derivatives come
into play resulting in a dierential equation. In this section, We will investi-
gate examples of how dierential equations can model such situations.
Mixing Models
All mixing problems we consider here will involve a tank into which a certain
mixture will be added at a certain input rate and the mixture will leave the
system at a certain output rate. We shall always reserve y = y(t) to denote
the amount of the mixture in the tank at any given time t.
The dierential equation involved here arises from the following natural re-
lationship:
dy
dt
= input rate output rate.
The main assumption that we will be using here is that the concentration of
the substance in the mixture is uniform throughout the tank. Clearly this
will not be the case, but if we allow the concentration to vary depending on
the location in the tank the problem becomes very dicult and will involve
partial dierential equations, which is not the focus of this course.
Consider a tank initially containing a volume V
0
of mixture (substance and
liquid) of concentration c
0
. Then the initial amount of the substance is given
by y
0
= c
0
V
0
.
Suppose a substance of concentration c
i
(t) ows into the tank at the volume
rate r
i
(t). Then the substance is entering the tank at the rate c
i
(t)r
i
. Suppose
that the well-mixed solution is pumped out of the tank at the volume rate
r
o
(t). The concentration of this outow is
y(t)
V (t)
where V (t) is the current
volume of solution in the tank. Then clearly
dy
dt
= c
i
(t)r
i
(t)
y(t)
V (t)
r
o
(t), y(0) = y
0
and
dV
dt
= r
i
(t) r
o
(t).
Solving the last equation we nd
V (t) = V
0
+

t
0
(r
i
(s) r
o
(s))ds.
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Example 32.1
Consider a tank with volume 100 liters containing a salt solution. Suppose
a solution with 2kg/liter of salt ows into the tank at a rate of 5 liters/min.
The solution in the tank is well-mixed. Solution ows out of the tank at a
rate of 5 liters/min. If initially there is 20 kg of salt in the tank, how much
salt will be in the tank as a function of time?
Solution.
Let y(t) denote the amount of salt in kg in the tank after t minutes. We use
a fundamental property of rates:
Total Rate = Rate in Rate out.
To nd the rate in we use
5
liters
min
2
kg
liter
= 10
kg
min
.
The rate at which salt leaves the tank is equal to the rate of ow of solution
out of the tank times the concentration of salt in the solution. Thus, the rate
out is
5
liters
min

y
100
kg
liter
=
y
20
kg
min
.
The dierential equation for the amount of salt is

= 10
y
20
y(0) = 20.
Using the method of separation of variable we nd
y

=10 0.05y
dy
10 0.05y
=dt

dy
10 0.05y
=

dt
20 ln |10 0.05y| =t + C
10 0.05y =Ce
0.05t
y =200 Ce
0.05t
.
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But y(0) = 20 so that C = 180. Hence, the amount of salt in the tank after
t minutes is given by the formula
y(t) = 200 180e
0.05t
.
One Dimensional Dynamics with Air Resistance
Air resistance exists because air molecules collide into a falling body creating
an upward force opposite gravity and thus reducing the fall of the object.
We refer to such a force as the drag force. If we assume that the drag force
is proportional to velocity with positive constant of proportionality k then
Newtons second law leads to the dierential equation
m
dv
dt
= mg kv. (1)
Here k depends on the properties of the falling object. Also, displacement is
measured positive upward, thus, the reason of having a mg.
If the object is moving upward then the drag force is pointing downward and
in this case v > 0 in (1). If the object is moving downward then the drag
force is pointing upward and so v < 0 in (1).
Equation (1) is a rst order linear nonhomogeneous equation that can be
solved using the method of separation of variables as illustrated in the fol-
lowing example.
Example 32.2 (Falling Body)
An object of mass 5 kg is released from rest 1000 m above the ground and al-
lowed to fall freely under gravity. Assume that the force due to air resistance
is proportional to the velocity of the object with proportionality constant
k = 50 N-s/m. Determine the equation of motion of the object. When will
the object strike the ground?
Solution.
The initial value problem for the falling object is
m
dv
dt
= mg kv, v(0) = 0
This can be solved as follows:
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m
dv
dt
= mg kv
dv
dt
=
k
m

v +
mg
k

dv
v +
mg
k
=
k
m

dt
ln

v +
mg
k

=
k
m
t + C
v +
mg
k
=Ce

k
m
t
v =
mg
k
+ Ce

k
m
t
.
But, m = 5, g = 9.8m/sec
2
, v(0) = 0 so that C = 0.981. Thus,
v(t) = 0.981 + 0.981e
10t
.
Let y(t) denote the position of the object with respect to the position of
release. Integrating with respect to t to obtain
y(t) = 0.981t 0.0981e
10t
+ C
But y(0) = 0 so that C = 0.0981. Hence, the equation of motion is
y(t) = 0.981t + 0.0981(1 e
10t
)
To nd at what time the object hits the ground, we need to nd T such that
y(T) = 1000.
That is, we must nd T satisfying
0.981T + 0.0981(1 e
10T
) + 1000 = 0.
Using a calculator we nd T 1019.467 s.
Now, the equilibrium solution of (1) occurs when v(t) =
mg
k
. At this ve-
locity, the drag force and the gravitational force acting on the object (i.e.,
its weight) are equal and opposite side. This equilibrium velocity is referred
to as the terminal velocity of the object. Thus, the terminal velocity of
an object falling towards the ground, in non-vacuum, is the speed at which
the gravitational force pulling it downwards is equal and opposite to the
drag force pushing it upwards. At this speed, the object ceases to accelerate
downwards and falls at constant speed.
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