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Exercise 10.2 · Q1

Q.Express each of the following physical statements in the form of a differential equation.

(i) Radium decays at a rate proportional to the amount QQ present.
(ii) The population PP of a city increases at a rate proportional to the product of the population and the difference between 5,00,0005,00,000 and the population.
(iii) For a certain substance, the rate of change of vapor pressure PP with respect to temperature TT is proportional to the vapor pressure and inversely proportional to the square of the temperature.
(iv) A saving amount pays 8%8\% interest per year, compounded continuously. In addition, the income from another investment is credited to the amount continuously at the rate of \textrupee 400\textrm{\textrupee}\,400 per year.
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✓ Free question

Each part is a direct calculus translation of a stated rate law — write "rate of change of (quantity) == (constant) ×\times (stated proportionality)", using a negative sign for a decaying quantity.

Step 1. (i) Radium decays at a rate proportional to the amount QQ present. Decay means QQ is decreasing, so a negative proportionality constant is used: dQdt=−kQ\dfrac{dQ}{dt}=-kQ, k>0k>0.

Step 2. (ii) Population PP increases at a rate proportional to the product of PP and (5,00,000−P)(5,00,000-P). Directly: dPdt=kP(5,00,000−P)\dfrac{dP}{dt}=kP\left(5{,}00{,}000-P\right), k>0k>0 — this is the logistic-growth pattern of Model 3 (§10.4.1), with the fixed population ceiling L=5,00,000L=5{,}00{,}000.

Step 3. (iii) Rate of change of vapor pressure PP w.r.t. temperature TT is proportional to PP and inversely proportional to T2T^2. dPdT=k⋅P⋅1T2=kPT2\dfrac{dP}{dT}=k\cdot P\cdot\dfrac{1}{T^2}=\dfrac{kP}{T^2}.

Step 4. (iv) Savings amount pays 8%8\% per year compounded continuously, plus a continuous credit of \textrupee 400\textrm{\textrupee}\,400/year. Continuous compounding at 8%8\% contributes 0.08A0.08A to the rate of change of the amount AA; the extra continuous credit adds a constant 400400: dAdt=0.08A+400\dfrac{dA}{dt}=0.08A+400.

✓Final answer

(i) dQdt=−kQ\dfrac{dQ}{dt}=-kQ (ii) dPdt=kP(5,00,000−P)\dfrac{dP}{dt}=kP(5{,}00{,}000-P) (iii) dPdT=kPT2\dfrac{dP}{dT}=\dfrac{kP}{T^2} (iv) dAdt=0.08A+400\dfrac{dA}{dt}=0.08A+400

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