In a particular chemical reaction, every 2 grams of UU and 1 gram of VV are combined and converted to form 3 grams of WW. Let uu, vv and ww denote the mass (in grams) of UU, VV and WW respectively present at time tt (in minutes). According to the law of mass action, the rate of change of ww with respect to tt is proportional to the product of uu and vv. Initially, u=40u=40, v=50v=50 and w=0w=0.

  1. (i)

    Show that dwdt=k(w−60)(w−150)\dfrac{dw}{dt} = k(w-60)(w-150), where kk is a positive constant.

  2. (ii)

    It is observed that when t=5t = 5, w=10w = 10.

    Find ww when t=20t = 20, giving your answer to two decimal places.

  3. (iii)

    What happens to ww for large values of tt?

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Worked solution

12(i)

1. Express the remaining masses of $U$ and $V$ in terms of $w$.

Since 2 grams of UU and 1 gram of VV produce 3 grams of WW, the masses of UU and VV consumed to produce ww grams of WW are 23w\frac{2}{3}w and 13w\frac{1}{3}w respectively.
Thus, the remaining masses at time tt are:
u=40−23wu = 40 - \frac{2}{3}w
v=50−13wv = 50 - \frac{1}{3}w

2. Use the law of mass action to write the differential equation.

The rate of change of ww is proportional to uvuv. Let k1k_1 be the constant of proportionality:
dwdt=k1uv=k1(40−23w)(50−13w)\frac{dw}{dt} = k_1 u v = k_1 \left(40 - \frac{2}{3}w\right)\left(50 - \frac{1}{3}w\right)

3. Factorise the expression into the required form and show that $k > 0$.

dwdt=k1[−23(w−60)][−13(w−150)]\frac{dw}{dt} = k_1 \left[ -\frac{2}{3}(w - 60) \right] \left[ -\frac{1}{3}(w - 150) \right]
dwdt=29k1(w−60)(w−150)\frac{dw}{dt} = \frac{2}{9}k_1 (w - 60)(w - 150)
Let k=29k1k = \frac{2}{9}k_1, giving dwdt=k(w−60)(w−150)\frac{dw}{dt} = k(w - 60)(w - 150).
Since WW is being formed initially, the rate of change is positive (dwdt>0\frac{dw}{dt} > 0) when w=0w=0.
k(0−60)(0−150)>0  ⟹  9000k>0  ⟹  k>0k(0 - 60)(0 - 150) > 0 \implies 9000k > 0 \implies k > 0
Hence shown.

Answer

dwdt=k(w−60)(w−150)\frac{dw}{dt} = k(w-60)(w-150) (shown)

12(ii)

1. Separate variables and apply partial fractions to prepare for integration.

dwdt=k(w−60)(w−150)\frac{dw}{dt} = k(w-60)(w-150)
∫1(w−60)(w−150) dw=∫k dt\int \frac{1}{(w-60)(w-150)} \,dw = \int k \,dt
Using partial fractions:
1(w−60)(w−150)=Aw−60+Bw−150\frac{1}{(w-60)(w-150)} = \frac{A}{w-60} + \frac{B}{w-150}
1=A(w−150)+B(w−60)1 = A(w-150) + B(w-60)
When w=60w = 60, −90A=1  ⟹  A=−190-90A = 1 \implies A = -\frac{1}{90}
When w=150w = 150, 90B=1  ⟹  B=19090B = 1 \implies B = \frac{1}{90}
190∫(1w−150−1w−60) dw=∫k dt\frac{1}{90} \int \left( \frac{1}{w-150} - \frac{1}{w-60} \right) \,dw = \int k \,dt

2. Integrate both sides to obtain the general solution.

190(ln⁡∣w−150∣−ln⁡∣w−60∣)=kt+C\frac{1}{90} (\ln|w-150| - \ln|w-60|) = kt + C
190ln⁡∣w−150w−60∣=kt+C\frac{1}{90} \ln\left|\frac{w-150}{w-60}\right| = kt + C
Since ww starts at 00 and must be less than 6060 (the limiting mass), w−150w−60>0\frac{w-150}{w-60} > 0. We can rewrite it without the modulus sign as:
190ln⁡(150−w60−w)=kt+C\frac{1}{90} \ln\left(\frac{150-w}{60-w}\right) = kt + C

3. Use the initial condition to find the constant of integration $C$.

Given that initially w=0w = 0 when t=0t = 0:
190ln⁡(150−060−0)=k(0)+C\frac{1}{90} \ln\left(\frac{150-0}{60-0}\right) = k(0) + C
C=190ln⁡(15060)=190ln⁡(2.5)C = \frac{1}{90} \ln\left(\frac{150}{60}\right) = \frac{1}{90} \ln(2.5)
Substituting CC back into the equation:
190ln⁡(150−w60−w)=kt+190ln⁡(2.5)\frac{1}{90} \ln\left(\frac{150-w}{60-w}\right) = kt + \frac{1}{90} \ln(2.5)
ln⁡(150−w60−w)=90kt+ln⁡(2.5)\ln\left(\frac{150-w}{60-w}\right) = 90kt + \ln(2.5)

4. Apply the condition at $t = 5$ to evaluate the parameter $k$.

When t=5t = 5, w=10w = 10:
ln⁡(150−1060−10)=90k(5)+ln⁡(2.5)\ln\left(\frac{150-10}{60-10}\right) = 90k(5) + \ln(2.5)
ln⁡(14050)=450k+ln⁡(2.5)\ln\left(\frac{140}{50}\right) = 450k + \ln(2.5)
450k=ln⁡(2.8)−ln⁡(2.5)=ln⁡(2.82.5)=ln⁡(1.12)450k = \ln(2.8) - \ln(2.5) = \ln\left(\frac{2.8}{2.5}\right) = \ln(1.12)

5. Substitute $t = 20$ into the specific equation to solve for $w$.

When t=20t = 20:
ln⁡(150−w60−w)=90k(20)+ln⁡(2.5)\ln\left(\frac{150-w}{60-w}\right) = 90k(20) + \ln(2.5)
ln⁡(150−w60−w)=4(450k)+ln⁡(2.5)\ln\left(\frac{150-w}{60-w}\right) = 4(450k) + \ln(2.5)
ln⁡(150−w60−w)=4ln⁡(1.12)+ln⁡(2.5)\ln\left(\frac{150-w}{60-w}\right) = 4\ln(1.12) + \ln(2.5)
ln⁡(150−w60−w)=ln⁡(1.124×2.5)\ln\left(\frac{150-w}{60-w}\right) = \ln(1.12^4 \times 2.5)
150−w60−w=1.124×2.5≈3.9338\frac{150-w}{60-w} = 1.12^4 \times 2.5 \approx 3.9338
150−w=3.9338(60−w)150 - w = 3.9338(60 - w)
150−w=236.0279−3.9338w150 - w = 236.0279 - 3.9338w
2.9338w=86.02792.9338w = 86.0279
w≈29.323w \approx 29.323
w=29.32 (to 2 d.p.)w = 29.32 \text{ (to 2 d.p.)}

Answer

29.3229.32

12(iii)

1. Identify the behaviour of the solution's exponential term as $t \to \infty$.

From the integration in part (ii), the relationship between ww and tt can be expressed as:
150−w60−w=2.5e90kt\frac{150-w}{60-w} = 2.5 e^{90kt}
Since kk is a positive constant, as t→∞t \to \infty, the exponent 90kt→∞90kt \to \infty, and therefore e90kt→∞e^{90kt} \to \infty.
(Alternatively, if ww was made the subject: w=150−150e−90kt2.5−e−90ktw = \frac{150 - 150e^{-90kt}}{2.5 - e^{-90kt}}, as t→∞t \to \infty, e−90kt→0e^{-90kt} \to 0)

2. Deduce the limiting value of $w$.

For 150−w60−w\frac{150-w}{60-w} to approach ∞\infty, the denominator must approach 00:
60−w→060 - w \to 0
w→60w \to 60
(From the alternative expression: w→150−02.5−0=60w \to \frac{150 - 0}{2.5 - 0} = 60)

Thus, as tt becomes very large, the mass ww approaches 6060 grams.

Answer

ww approaches 6060 (or the mass of WW approaches 60 g60\text{ g})

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