NEWTON'S LAW OF COOLING using differential equations

In summary, the problem involves determining at what time Sally removed the soda from the refrigerator based on the given temperatures and the law of cooling equation. By setting up two equations with two unknowns, we can solve for the time and determine that Sally removed the soda at 1:45pm.
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1. LAW OF COOLING PROBLEM!HELP PLEASE! :)

At 1:00pm, Sally puts into a refrigerator a can of soda that has been sitting of temperature 70degF. The temperature in the refrigerator is 40degF. fifteen minutes later 1:15pm, the temperature of the soda has fallen to 60degF. At some time later, Sally removes the soda form the refrigerator to the room, where at 2:00pm, the temperature of the soda is 60degF. At what time did Sally remove the soda from the refrigerator?

2.dT/dt= -k(Tsoda-Tref)
3. Tsoda=Tref + e^-kt(Tsoda-Tref)
at 1:15pm
60= 40 + e^-k(15)(70-40)
k= .027031

i don't know what to do next.. help please..
 
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  • #2
well I would do this with 2 equations and 2 unknowns.
We know that at 1:15 the soda is 60F and in the fridge, and then she takes it out of the fridge at some time later we will call t' , and while it is in the fridge for t' it will cool to an unknown temp we will call T
so [itex] T=40+e^{-kt'(60-40)} [/itex]
now we know that we have 45 minutes between known temperatures so out time for our next equation will be 45-t', because this will be how much time the soda has to warm up in the room and we know the final temp that it needs to be and that is 60.
so our second equation is [itex] 60=70+e^{-k(45-t')(T-70)} [/itex]
so know we have 2 equations and 2 unknowns and we should be able to solve it.
I might have my 60 and 70 backwards but you get the idea.
 
Last edited:

What is Newton's Law of Cooling?

Newton's Law of Cooling is a mathematical equation that describes the cooling of an object as it loses heat to its surroundings. It states that the rate of change of the temperature of an object is proportional to the difference between its temperature and the temperature of its surroundings.

How is Newton's Law of Cooling represented using differential equations?

The differential equation for Newton's Law of Cooling is T' = k(T-Ts), where T is the temperature of the object, Ts is the temperature of the surroundings, and k is a constant representing the rate of cooling.

What are the assumptions behind Newton's Law of Cooling?

The law assumes that the temperature of the surroundings remains constant and that the object is much smaller than its surroundings, so that the temperature of the object is uniform. It also assumes that the object is losing heat through convection, which is the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids.

Can Newton's Law of Cooling be applied to all cooling processes?

No, Newton's Law of Cooling is only applicable to processes where the temperature difference between the object and its surroundings is relatively small. It also does not take into account other factors such as radiation and other forms of heat transfer.

How is Newton's Law of Cooling used in real-life applications?

Newton's Law of Cooling is used in various fields such as engineering, meteorology, and food preservation. It can be used to determine the rate of cooling of a hot drink, the cooling of electronic devices, and the preservation of food in refrigerators.

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