2021-12.md

course	course_year	question_number	tags	title	year
Complex Methods	IB	12	IB 2021 Complex Methods	Paper 4, Section II, B	2021

Let $f(t)$ be defined for $t \geqslant 0$. Define the Laplace transform $\widehat{f}(s)$ of $f$. Find an expression for the Laplace transform of $\frac{d f}{d t}$ in terms of $\widehat{f}$.

Three radioactive nuclei decay sequentially, so that the numbers $N_{i}(t)$ of the three types obey the equations

$$\begin{aligned} \frac{d N_{1}}{d t} &=-\lambda_{1} N_{1} \\ \frac{d N_{2}}{d t} &=\lambda_{1} N_{1}-\lambda_{2} N_{2} \\ \frac{d N_{3}}{d t} &=\lambda_{2} N_{2}-\lambda_{3} N_{3} \end{aligned}$$

where $\lambda_{3}>\lambda_{2}>\lambda_{1}>0$ are constants. Initially, at $t=0, N_{1}=N, N_{2}=0$ and $N_{3}=n$. Using Laplace transforms, find $N_{3}(t)$.

By taking an appropriate limit, find $N_{3}(t)$ when $\lambda_{2}=\lambda_{1}=\lambda>0$ and $\lambda_{3}>\lambda$.