MHB What is the radius of the oil slick after 10 minutes?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Noah1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Oil Radius
Click For Summary
The discussion revolves around solving a differential equation to determine the radius of an oil slick produced by a leaking tanker. The rate of slick expansion is given by the function (dr/dt) = 20/√t, with an initial condition of r(1/4) = 21. Participants suggest integrating the equation and applying the initial condition to find the constant of integration. After performing the integration, the calculated radius after 10 minutes is approximately 147 meters. The conclusion confirms that the calculations are on the right track.
Noah1
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Hi I am stuck on this integral question:
An oil tanker aground on a reef is losing oil and producing an oil slick that is radiating out at a rate approximated by the function (dr/dt)=20/√t, t is greater than or equal to 1 where r is the radius of the circular slick in metres after t minutes. If the radius of the slick is 21 metres, after 15 seconds, find, to the nearest metre, the radius of the slick after 10 minutes.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Re: Stuck on this question please help

Noah said:
Hi I am stuck on this integral question:
An oil tanker aground on a reef is losing oil and producing an oil slick that is radiating out at a rate approximated by the function (dr/dt)=20/√t, t is greater than or equal to 1 where r is the radius of the circular slick in metres after t minutes. If the radius of the slick is 21 metres, after 15 seconds, find, to the nearest metre, the radius of the slick after 10 minutes.
This is asking you to solve the first order differential equation [math]\frac{dr}{dt}= 20t^{-1/2}[/math] with initial condition r(1/4)= 21. That is, specifically, a "separable" equation, dr= 20t^{-1/2}dt. Integrate both sides of that. Of course there will be a "constant of integration". Use the fact that r(1/4)= 21 to find that const
 
Re: Stuck on this question please help

HallsofIvy said:
This is asking you to solve the first order differential equation [math]\frac{dr}{dt}= 20t^{-1/2}[/math] with initial condition r(1/4)= 21. That is, specifically, a "separable" equation, dr= 20t^{-1/2}dt. Integrate both sides of that. Of course there will be a "constant of integration". Use the fact that r(1/4)= 21 to find that const

∫▒20/√t dt
20∫▒1/√t dt
20∫▒t^(-1/2) dt
40√t+c
Now subsitute in 10 to t and 21 into c
40√10+21
=147.4911064
So the slick will be 147 metres.
am I on the right track