In a laboratory, the temperature of a chemical during a cooling process is modeled by \(T(t) = 0.2t^2-8t+100\), where \(T\) is measured in degrees Celsius, \(t\) is measured in minutes, and \(0\le t\le 20\).
a) Use the limit definition \(T'(t) = \lim_{h\to 0}\frac{T(t+h)-T(t)}{h}\) to find the instantaneous rate of change at \(t = 5\) and \(t = 15\).
b) When is the instantaneous rate of change exactly \(-2\,\frac{{}^\circ\text{C}}{\text{min}}\)?
c) Explain why the rate is negative for \(0\le t<20\) and equal to zero at \(t = 20\). What does this indicate about the temperature?
Hints
- Expand \((t+h)^2\) and combine like terms in the difference quotient.
- All terms without \(h\) should cancel from the numerator.
- The sign of the derivative tells whether the temperature is increasing or decreasing.
- To answer part b, set the derivative equal to the given rate.
Solution
1. Form and simplify the difference quotient: \(\frac{T(t+h)-T(t)}{h} = \frac{0.2(t+h)^2-8(t+h)+100-(0.2t^2-8t+100)}{h}\).
2. Expanding and combining like terms gives \(\frac{0.4th+0.2h^2-8h}{h} = 0.4t+0.2h-8\) for \(h\ne 0\).
3. Take the limit: \(T'(t) = \lim_{h\to 0}(0.4t+0.2h-8) = 0.4t-8\).
4. Evaluate the rates: \(T'(5) = 0.4(5)-8 = -6\) and \(T'(15) = 0.4(15)-8 = -2\). The units are degrees Celsius per minute.
5. Solve \(0.4t-8 = -2\): \(0.4t = 6\), so \(t = 15\) minutes.
6. For \(0\le t<20\), \(0.4t-8<0\), so the temperature is decreasing. At \(t = 20\), the rate is zero, so the temperature has stopped decreasing instantaneously at the endpoint of the model.
Answer
a) \(T'(5) = -6\,\frac{{}^\circ\text{C}}{\text{min}}\) and \(T'(15) = -2\,\frac{{}^\circ\text{C}}{\text{min}}\)
b) \(t = 15\,\text{min}\)
c) The negative rate means the temperature is decreasing. At \(t = 20\), the instantaneous rate is zero, so the temperature has stopped decreasing instantaneously at the endpoint of the model.