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June 2002 p3 q7
2317
In a certain chemical process a substance is being formed, and t minutes after the start of the process there are m grams of the substance present. In the process the rate of increase of m is proportional to \((50 - m)^2\). When \(t = 0\), \(m = 0\) and \(\frac{dm}{dt} = 5\).
(i) Show that m satisfies the differential equation \(\frac{dm}{dt} = 0.002(50 - m)^2\).
(ii) Solve the differential equation, and show that the solution can be expressed in the form \(m = 50 - \frac{500}{t + 10}\).
(iii) Calculate the mass of the substance when \(t = 10\), and find the time taken for the mass to increase from 0 to 45 grams.
(iv) State what happens to the mass of the substance as t becomes very large.
Solution
(i) The rate of increase of m is proportional to \((50 - m)^2\), so \(\frac{dm}{dt} = k(50 - m)^2\). Given \(\frac{dm}{dt} = 5\) when \(m = 0\), we have \(5 = k(50)^2\). Solving for \(k\), we find \(k = \frac{5}{2500} = 0.002\). Thus, \(\frac{dm}{dt} = 0.002(50 - m)^2\).
(ii) Separate variables: \(\frac{1}{(50 - m)^2} dm = 0.002 dt\). Integrate both sides: \(-\frac{1}{50 - m} = 0.002t + C\). Using \(t = 0\), \(m = 0\), we find \(C = -\frac{1}{50}\). Thus, \(-\frac{1}{50 - m} = 0.002t - \frac{1}{50}\). Solving for m, we get \(m = 50 - \frac{500}{t + 10}\).