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    Arfken MMCH 7 S 2 e 13

    Uploaded by

    Helen Mena
    This document provides the solution to an exercise involving a system of two differential equations describing the decay of radioactive nuclei. The equations are solved to find an expression for N2(t) given initial conditions of N1(0)=N0 and N2(0)=0. There are two cases: if the decay constants λ1 and λ2 are different, the solution is N2(t)=N0(λ1/λ2-λ1)(e-λ1t - e-λ2t). If the decay constants are equal, the solution is N2(t)=N0λ2te-λ2t.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Arfken MMCH 7 S 2 e 13

    Uploaded by

    Helen Mena
    72 views3 pages
    This document provides the solution to an exercise involving a system of two differential equations describing the decay of radioactive nuclei. The equations are solved to find an expression for N2(t) given initial conditions of N1(0)=N0 and N2(0)=0. There are two cases: if the decay constants λ1 and λ2 are different, the solution is N2(t)=N0(λ1/λ2-λ1)(e-λ1t - e-λ2t). If the decay constants are equal, the solution is N2(t)=N0λ2te-λ2t.

    Original Description:

    Ecuaciones diferenciales ordinarias, ejercicio resuelto. En inglés.

    Original Title

    ArfkenMMch7s2e13

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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    This document provides the solution to an exercise involving a system of two differential equations describing the decay of radioactive nuclei. The equations are solved to find an expression for N2(t) given initial conditions of N1(0)=N0 and N2(0)=0. There are two cases: if the decay constants λ1 and λ2 are different, the solution is N2(t)=N0(λ1/λ2-λ1)(e-λ1t - e-λ2t). If the decay constants are equal, the solution is N2(t)=N0λ2te-λ2t.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    72 views3 pages

    Arfken MMCH 7 S 2 e 13

    Uploaded by

    Helen Mena
    This document provides the solution to an exercise involving a system of two differential equations describing the decay of radioactive nuclei. The equations are solved to find an expression for N2(t) given initial conditions of N1(0)=N0 and N2(0)=0. There are two cases: if the decay constants λ1 and λ2 are different, the solution is N2(t)=N0(λ1/λ2-λ1)(e-λ1t - e-λ2t). If the decay constants are equal, the solution is N2(t)=N0λ2te-λ2t.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    Arfken Mathematical Methods 7e: Section 7.2 - Exercise 7.2.

    13 Page 1 of 3

    Exercise 7.2.13
    Radioactive nuclei decay according to the law
    dN
    = −λN,
    dt
    N being the concentration of a given nuclide and λ, the particular decay constant. In a
    radioactive series of two different nuclides, with concentrations N1 (t) and N2 (t), we have
    dN1
    = −λ1 N1 ,
    dt
    dN2
    = λ1 N1 − λ2 N2 .
    dt
    Find N2 (t) for the conditions N1 (0) = N0 and N2 (0) = 0.

    Solution

    Begin by solving the ODE for N1 (t). Divide both sides by N1 .


    dN1
    dt
    = −λ1
    N1
    The left side can be written as the derivative of a logarithm by the chain rule.
    d
    (ln N1 ) = −λ1
    dt
    Integrate both sides with respect to t.

    ln N1 = −λ1 t + C1

    Exponentiate both sides.

    N1 (t) = e−λ1 t+C1


    = e−λ1 t eC1

    Apply the initial condition N1 (0) = N0 to determine eC1 .

    N (0) = e−λ1 (0) eC1 → N0 = eC1

    So then
    N1 (t) = N0 e−λ1 t .
    Substitute this formula for N1 into the second ODE involving N2 .
    dN2
    = λ1 N1 − λ2 N2
    dt
    dN2
    = λ1 N0 e−λ1 t − λ2 N2
    dt
    Bring λ2 N2 to the left side.
    dN2
    + λ2 N2 = λ1 N0 e−λ1 t
    dt

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    Arfken Mathematical Methods 7e: Section 7.2 - Exercise 7.2.13 Page 2 of 3

    This is a first-order linear ODE, so it can be solved by multiplying both sides by an integrating
    factor I. ˆ t 
    I = exp λ2 ds = eλ2 t

    Proceed with the multiplication.


    dN2
    e λ2 t + λ2 eλ2 t N2 = λ1 eλ2 t N0 e−λ1 t
    dt
    The left side can now be written as a derivative by the product rule. Combine the exponential
    functions on the right side.
    d λ2 t
    (e N2 ) = N0 λ1 e(λ2 −λ1 )t (1)
    dt
    Suppose first that λ1 6= λ2 . Integrate both sides with respect to t.
    λ1
    eλ2 t N2 = N0 e(λ2 −λ1 )t + C2
    λ2 − λ1

    Divide both sides by eλ2 t .


    λ1
    N2 (t) = N0 e(λ2 −λ1 )t e−λ2 t + C2 e−λ2 t
    λ2 − λ1
    λ1
    = N0 e−λ1 t + C2 e−λ2 t
    λ2 − λ1
    Apply the initial condition N2 (0) = 0 now to determine C2 .

    λ1
    N2 (0) = N0 e−λ1 (0) + C2 e−λ2 (0)
    λ2 − λ1
    λ1
    0 = N0 + C2
    λ2 − λ1
    λ1
    C2 = −N0
    λ2 − λ1
    Plug this back into the general solution for N2 (t).

    λ1 λ1
    N2 (t) = N0 e−λ1 t − N0 e−λ2 t
    λ2 − λ1 λ2 − λ1
    λ1
    = N0 (e−λ1 t − e−λ2 t ), λ1 6= λ2
    λ2 − λ1
    Suppose secondly that λ1 = λ2 . Then equation (1) becomes

    d λ2 t
    (e N2 ) = N0 λ2 .
    dt
    Integrate both sides with respect to t.

    eλ2 t N2 = N0 λ2 t + C3

    Divide both sides by eλ2 t .


    N2 (t) = e−λ2 t (N0 λ2 t + C3 )

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    Arfken Mathematical Methods 7e: Section 7.2 - Exercise 7.2.13 Page 3 of 3

    Apply the initial condition N2 (0) = 0 to determine C3 .

    N2 (0) = C3 = 0

    So then
    N2 (t) = N0 λ2 te−λ2 t , λ1 = λ2 .
    Therefore,

    N1 (t) = N0 e−λ1 t
     λ1
    N0
     (e−λ1 t − e−λ2 t ) if λ1 =
    6 λ2
    N2 (t) = λ2 − λ 1 .


    N0 λ2 te 2−λ t if λ1 = λ2

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