Solutions to Problems for The 1-D Heat Equation

18.303 Linear Partial Differential Equations

Matthew J. Hancock

Fall 2006

1. A bar with initial temperature profile f (x) > 0, with ends held at 0o C, will cool
as t → ∞, and approach a steady-state temperature 0o C. However, whether or
not all parts of the bar start cooling initially depends on the shape of the initial
temperature profile. The following example may enable you to discover the
relationship.

(a) Find an initial temperature profile f (x), 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, which is a linear

df df
(1), f 12 =


combination of sin πx and sin 3πx, and satisfies dx (0) = 0 = dx
2.
Solution: A linear combination of sin πx and sin 3πx is

f (x) = a sin 3πx + b sin πx

Imposing the conditions gives

df
0 = (0) = π (3a + b)
dx
df
0 = (1) = −π (3a + b)
dx 
1
2 = f = −a + b
2

The first two equations yield the same thing, 3a = −b. Substituting this
into the last equation gives
1 3
a=− , b= .
2 2
Thus
1 3
f (x) = − sin 3πx + sin πx (1)
2 2

1
(b) Solve the problem

ut = uxx ; u (0, t) = 0 = u (1, t) ; u (x, 0) = f (x) .

Note: you can just write down the solution we had in class, but make sure
you know how to get it!
Solution: This is the basic heat problem we considered in class, with
solution ∞
X 2 2
u (x, t) = Bn sin (nπx) e−n π t (2)
n=1

where Z 1
Bn = 2 f (x) sin (nπx) dx (3)
0

and f (x) is given in (1). The form of (1) is already a sine series, with
B1 = 3/2, B3 = −1/2 and Bn = 0 for all other n. You can check this
for yourself by computing integrals in (3) for f (x) given by (1), from the
orthogonality of sin nπx. Therefore,
3 2 1 2
u (x, t) = sin (πx) e−π t − sin (3πx) e−9π t (4)
2 2
(c) Show that for some x, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, ut (x, 0) is positive and for others
it is negative. How is the sign of ut (x, 0) related to the shape of the
initial temperature profile? How is the sign of ut (x, t), t > 0, related
to subsequent temperature profiles? Graph the temperature profile for
t = 0, 0.2, 0.5, 1 on the same axis (you may use Matlab).
Solution: Differentiating u (x, t) in time gives
 
2 3 −π 2 t 9 −9π 2 t
ut (x, t) = −π sin (πx) e − sin (3πx) e
2 2
Setting t = 0 gives
3
ut (x, 0) = − π 2 (sin (πx) − 3 sin (3πx))
2
Note that
   
1 15 1
ut , 0 = π 2 > 0, ut , 0 = −6π 2 < 0
6 4 2

Thus at x = 1/6, ut is positive and for x = 1/2, ut is negative.

From the PDE,
ut = uxx

2
 2

1.8

t=0
1.6

1.4

1.2
u(x,t )
0

0.8

0.6

t=0.5,1
0.4

t=0.2
0.2

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x

Figure 1: Plots of u(x, t0 ) for t0 = 0, 0.2, 0.5, 1.

and hence the sign of ut gives the concavity of the temperature profile
u (x, t0 ), t0 constant. Note that for uxx (x, t0 ) > 0, the profile u (x, t0 ) is
concave up, and for uxx (x, t0 ) < 0, the profile u (x, t0 ) is concave down.
At t0 = 0, the sign of ut (x, 0) give the concavity of the initial temperature
profile u (x, 0) = f (x).
In Figure 1, u(x, t0 ) is plotted for t0 = 0, 0.2, 0.5, 1.

2. Initial temperature pulse. Solve the inhomogeneous heat problem with Type I
boundary conditions:
∂u ∂ 2u
= ; u (0, t) = 0 = u (1, t) ; u (x, 0) = Pw (x)
∂t ∂x2
where t > 0, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, and

 0
 if 0 < x < 21 − w2
u0
Pw (x) = w
if 21 − w2 < x < 12 + w2 (5)
if 12 + w2 < x < 1

0


Note: we derived the form of the solution in class. You may simply use this
and replace Pw (x) with f (x).

(a) Show that the temperature at the midpoint of the rod when t = 1/π 2
(dimensionless) is approximated by
   
1 1 2u0 sin (πw/2)
u , ≈
2 π2 e πw/2

3
 Can you distinguish between a pulse with width w = 1/1000 from one with
w = 1/2000, say, by measuring u 21 , π12 ?

(b) Illustrate the solution qualitatively by sketching (i) some typical tempera-
ture profiles in the u − t plane (i.e. x = constant) and in the u − x plane
(i.e. t = constant), and (ii) some typical level curves u (x, t) = constant in
the x − t plane. At what points of the set D = {(x, t) : 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, t ≥ 0}
is u (x, t) discontinuous?
Solution: This is the Heat Problem with Type I homogeneous BCs. The
solution we derived in class is, with f (x) replaced by Pw (x),
∞
X ∞
X 2 π2 t
u (x, t) = un (x, t) = Bn sin (nπx) e−n (6)
n=1 n=1

where the Bn ’s are the Fourier coefficients of f (x) = Pw (x), given by

Z 1
Bn = 2 Pw (x) sin (nπx) dx
0

Breaking the integral into three pieces and substituting for Pε (x) from (5)
gives
Z 1/2−w/2 Z 1/2+w/2
Bn = 2 Pw (x) sin (nπx) dx + 2 Pw (x) sin (nπx) dx
0 1/2−w/2
Z 1
+2 Pw (x) sin (nπx) dx
1/2+w/2
Z 1/2+w/2
u0
= 0+2 sin (nπx) dx + 0
1/2−w/2 w
 1/2+w/2
2u0 cos (nπx)
= −
w nπ 1/2−w/2
nπ nπ



cos 2
(1 − w) − cos 2
(1 + w)
= u0 (7)
wnπ/2
We apply the cosine rule

cos (r − s) − cos (r + s) = 2 sin r sin s

with r = nπ/2, s = nπw/2 to Eq. (7),

4u0 nπ nπw
Bn = sin sin
wnπ 2 2
When n is even (and nonzero), i.e. n = 2m for some integer m,
2u0
B2m = sin mπ sin mπw = 0
wmπ

4
When n is odd, i.e. n = 2m − 1 for some integer m,
sin ((2m − 1) πw/2)
B2m−1 = 2u0 (−1)m+1 . (8)
(2m − 1) πw/2
(a) The temperature at the midpoint of the rod, x = 1/2, at scaled time
t = 1/π 2 is, from (6) and (8),
∞
X sin ((2m − 1) πw/2)  π  −(2m−1)2
u (x, t) = 2u0 (−1)m+1 sin (2m − 1) e
m=1
(2m − 1) πw/2 2
∞  
X 2u0 sin ((2m − 1) πw/2)
= 2 .
m=1
e(2m−1) (2m − 1) πw/2

For t ≥ 1/π 2 , the first term gives a good approximation to u (x, t),
     
1 1 1 1 2u0 sin (πw/2)
u , ≈ u1 , = .
2 π2 2 π2 e πw/2

To distinguish between pulses with ε = 1/1000 and w = 1/2000, note that

limw→0 sinπw/2
πw/2
= 1, and so for smaller and smaller w, the corresponding
temperature u 21 , π12 gets closer and closer to 2u0 /e,

π 2 ε2
     
1 1 1 1 2u0
u , ≈ u1 , = 1− + ··· , w ≪ 1.
2 π2 2 π2 e 2 · 3!
In particular,
   
1 1 1 1 1 1
u1 , ;w = − u1 , ;w =
2 π2 1000 2 π2 2000
 
2u0 sin (π/2000) sin (π/4000)
= −
e π/2000 π/4000
2u0
≈ − × 3.1 × 10−7
e
Thus it is hard to distinguish these two temperature distributions, at least
by measuring the temperature at the center of the rod at time t = 1/π 2 .
By this time, diffusion has smoothed out some of the details of the initial
condition.
(b) The solution u (x, t) is discontinuous at t = 0 at the points x =
(1 ± w) /2. That said, u (x, t) is piecewise continuous on the entire in-
terval [0, 1]. Thus, the Fourier series for u (x, 0) converges everywhere on
the interval and equals u (x, 0) at all points except x = (1 ± w) /2. The
temperature profiles (u−t plane, u−x plane), 3D solution and level curves
are shown.

5
 u−t plot
10

6
u(x0,t)/u0

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1
t

Figure 2: Time temperature profiles u (x0 , t) at x0 = 0.5, 0.4 and 0.1 (from top to
bottom). The t-axis is the time profile corresponding to x0 = 0, 1.

Recall that to draw the level curves, it is easiest to already have drawn
the spatial temperature profiles. Draw a few horizontal broken lines across
your u vs. x plot. Suppose you draw a horizontal line u = u1 . Suppose
this line u = u1 crosses one of your profiles u (x, t0 ) at position x = x1 .
Then (x1 , t0 ) is a point on the level curve u (x, t) = u1 . Now plot this point
in your level curve plot. By observing where the line u = u1 crosses your
various spatial profiles, you fill in the level curve u (x, t) = u1 . Repeat this
process for a few values of u1 to obtain a few representative level curves.
Plot also the special case level curves: u (x, t) = u0 /w, u (x, t) = 0, etc.
Come and see me if you still have problems.

3. Consider the homogeneous heat problem with type II BCs:

∂u ∂ 2u ∂u ∂u
= ; (0, t) = 0 = (1, t) ; u (x, 0) = f (x) (9)
∂t ∂x2 ∂x ∂x
where t > 0, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 and f is a piecewise smooth function on [0, 1].

(a) Find the eigenvalues λn and the eigenfunctions Xn (x) for this problem.
Write the formal solution of the problem (a), and express the constant
coefficients as integrals involving f (x).

6
 u−x plot
12

10

8
0
u(x,t )/u
0

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x

Figure 3: Spatial temperature profiles u (x, t0 ) at t0 = 0 (dash), 0.001, 0.01, 0.1. The
x-axis from 0 to 1 is the limiting temperature profile u (x, t0 ) as t0 → ∞.

3D plot of u(x,t)

10
u(x,t)/u0

0
0
0.02
0.04 1
0.06
0.08 0.5

t 0.1 0 x

Figure 4:

7
 Level curves u(x,t)=const
0.1

0.08

0.06
t

1
0.5
0.04 0.25
0.5
0.25

0.02
2

4
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x

Figure 5: Level curves u (x, t) /u0 = C for various values of the constant C. Numbers
adjacent to curves indicate the value of C. The line segment (1 − w) /2 ≤ x ≤
(1 + w) /2 at t = 0 is the level curve with C = 1/w = 10. The lines x = 0 and x = 1
are also level curves with C = 0.

(b) Find a series solution in the case that f (x) = u0 , u0 a constant. Find an
approximate solution good for large times. Sketch temperature profiles (u
vs. x) for different times.
(c) Evaluate limt→∞ u (x, t) for the solution (a) when f (x) = Pw (x) with
Pw (x) defined in (5). Illustrate the solution qualitatively by sketching
temperature profiles and level curves as in Problem 2(b). It is not necessary
to find the complete formal solution.
Solution: (a) To find a series solution, we use separation of variables,

u (x, t) = X (x) T (t) (10)

The PDE in (9) gives the usual

X ′′ T′
= = −λ
X T
where λ is constant since the left hand side is a function of x only and the
middle is a function of t only. Substituting (10) into the BCs in (9) gives

X ′ (0) = X ′ (1) = 0

8
The Sturm-Liouville boundary value problem for X (x) is thus

X ′′ + λX = 0; X ′ (0) = X ′ (1) = 0 (11)

Let us try λ < 0. Then the solutions are

√ √
X (x) = c1 e− |λ|x + c2 e |λ|x

and imposing the BCs gives

p p
0 = X ′ (0) = − |λ|c1 + |λ|c2
p √ p √
′ − |λ|
0 = X (1) = − |λ|c1 e + |λ|c2 e |λ|

The first equation gives c1 = −c2 and substituting this into the second, we
have  √ √ 
p − |λ|
0 = |λ|c2 e + e |λ|
Since λ < 0, the bracketed expression is positive. Hence c1 = c2 = 0, i.e.
X (x) must be the trivial solution, and we discard the case λ < 0.
For λ = 0, X (x) = c1 x + c2 and both BCs are satisfied by taking c1 = 0.
Thus X (x) = c2 = A0 (we’ll use A0 by convention - it’s just another way
to name the constant). Hence, the case λ = 0 is allowed and yields a
non-trivial solution.
For λ > 0, we have
√ √
X = c1 sin λx + c2 cos λx

The BC X ′ (0) = 0 implies c1 = 0. The other BC implies

√ √
0 = X ′ (1) = −c2 λ sin λ

For a non-trivial solution, c2 must be nonzero. Since λ > 0 then we must

√
have sin λ = 0, which implies the eigenvalues are

λ n = n2 π 2 , n = 1, 2, 3, ...

and the eigenfunctions are

Xn (x) = cos (nπx)

For each n, the solution for T (t) is Tn (t) = e−λn t . Hence the series solution
for u (x, t) is
∞
X
An cos (nπx) exp −n2 π 2 t


u (x, t) = A0 + (12)
n=1

9
At t = 0, the initial condition gives
∞
X
f (x) = u (x, 0) = A0 + An cos (nπx) (13)
n=1

The orthogonality conditions are found using the identity

2 cos (nπx) cos (mπx) = cos ((m − n) πx) + cos ((m + n) πx)

Note also that for m, n = 1, 2, 3..., we have

(
1
1 m=n= 6 0
Z
cos ((m − n) πx) dx =
0 0 m 6= n
Z 1
cos ((m + n) πx) dx = 0
0
The last integral follows since m+n cannot be zero for any positive integers
m, n. Combining the three previous equations gives the orthogonality
conditions
Z 1 (
1/2 m = n 6= 0
cos (nπx) cos (mπx) dx = (14)
0 0 m= 6 n

Multiplying each side of (13) by cos (mπx), integrating from x = 0 to 1,

and applying the orthogonality condition (14) gives
Z 1
A0 = f (x) dx (15)
0
Z 1
Am = 2 cos (mπx) f (x) dx (16)
0

(b) Substituting f (x) = u0 into (16) and (15) gives

Z 1
An = 2u0 cos (nπx) dx = 0, n > 0 (17)
0
Z 1
A0 = u0 dx = u0
0
It is no surprise that An = 0 for n > 0 since the IC f (x) = u0 is one of
the eigenfunctions, X0 (x) = A0 . The series solution is simply

u (x, t) = u0 = f (x) .

Temperature profiles are simply a plot of f (x) = u0 , i.e. the temperature

along the rod does not change. This is reasonable, since the rod is initially

10
 u−t plot
10

6
u(x0,t)/u0

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1
t

Figure 6: Time temperature profiles u (x0 , t) at x0 = 0.5, 0.4 and 0.1 (from top to
bottom).

at a constant temperature and is completely insulated - so nothing will

happen.
(c) Taking the limit t → ∞ of (12) and using (15) gives
Z 1 Z 1 Z 1/2+w/2
u0
lim u (x, t) = A0 = f (x) dx = Pw (x) dx = dx = u0
t→∞ 0 0 1/2−w/2 w

Thus the temperature along rod eventually becomes the constant u0 . Lastly,
we illustrate the solution qualitatively by sketching temperature profiles
and level curves in Figures 6 to 9.

4. Consider the homogeneous heat problem with type III (mixed) BCs:
∂u ∂ 2u ∂u
= 2
; (0, t) = 0 = u (1, t) ; u (x, 0) = f (x)
∂t ∂x ∂x
where t > 0, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 and f is a piecewise smooth function on [0, 1].

(a) Find the eigenvalues λn and the eigenfunctions Xn (x) for this problem.
Write the formal solution of the problem (a), and express the constant
coefficients as integrals involving f (x).
(b) Find a series solution in the case that f (x) = u0 , u0 a constant. Find an
approximate solution good for large times. Sketch temperature profiles (u
vs. x) for different times.

11
 u−x plot
12

10

8
0
u(x,t )/u
0

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x

Figure 7: Spatial temperature profiles u (x, t0 ) at t0 = 0 (dash), 0.001, 0.03, 0.1. The
line u(x, t0 )/u0 = 1 is the limiting temperature profile as t0 → ∞. Note that the ends
of the rod heat up!

3D plot of u(x,t)

10
u(x,t)/u0

0
0
0.02
0.04 1
0.06
0.08 0.5

t 0.1 0 x

Figure 8:

12
 Level curves u(x,t)=const
0.1

0.08

0.06 1
t

0.04

1
0.02 0.5 0.5
2
0.25
4 0.25
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x

Figure 9: Level curves u (x, t) /u0 = C for various values of the constant C. Numbers
adjacent to curves indicate the value of C. The line segment (1 − w) /2 ≤ x ≤
(1 + w) /2 at t = 0 is the level curve with C = 1/w = 10.

(c) Evaluate limt→∞ u (x, t) for the solution (a) when f (x) = Pw (x) with
Pw (x) defined in (5). Illustrate the solution qualitatively by sketching
temperature profiles and level curves as in Problem 2(b). It is not necessary
to find the complete formal solution.
Solution: (a) To find a series solution, we use separation of variables as
before (Eq. (10)), but now obtain the Sturm Liouville problem

X ′′ + λX = 0; X ′ (0) = X (1) = 0 (18)

Let us try λ < 0. Then the solutions are

√ √
X (x) = c1 e− |λ|x + c2 e |λ|x

and imposing the BCs gives

p p
0 = X ′ (0) = − |λ|c1 + |λ|c2
√ √
0 = X (1) = c1 e− |λ| + c2 e |λ|

The first equation gives c1 = −c2 and substituting this into the second, we
have √  √ 
0 = c2 e− |λ| 1 − e2 |λ|

13
 √
Since λ < 0, then e2 |λ| > 1 and the bracketed expression is negative.
Hence c2 = c1 = 0, i.e. X (x) must be the trivial solution, and we discard
the case λ < 0.
For λ = 0, X (x) = c1 x + c2 and imposing the BCs gives c1 = c2 = 0. Thus
we discard the λ = 0 case.
For λ > 0, we have
√ √
X = c1 sin λx + c2 cos λx

The BC X ′ (0) = 0 implies c1 = 0. The other BC implies

√
0 = X (1) = c2 cos λ

For a non-trivial solution, c2 must be nonzero. Since λ > 0 then we must

√
have cos λ = 0, which implies the eigenvalues are

(2n − 1)2 π 2
λn = , n = 1, 2, 3, ...
4
and the eigenfunctions are
 
2n − 1
Xn (x) = cos πx
2

For each n, the solution for T (t) is Tn (t) = e−λn t . Hence the series solution
for u (x, t) is
∞
!
(2n − 1)2 π 2
 
X 2n − 1
u (x, t) = An cos πx exp − t (19)
n=1
2 4

At t = 0,
∞  
X (2n − 1) π
f (x) = u (x, 0) = An cos πx (20)
n=1
2
The orthogonality conditions are found using the identity
   
2n − 1 2m − 1
2 cos πx cos πx = cos ((m − n) πx)+cos ((m + n − 1) πx)
2 2
Note also that for m, n = 1, 2, 3..., we have
(
1
1 m=n= 6 0
Z
cos ((m − n) πx) dx =
0 0 m 6= n
Z 1
cos ((m + n − 1) πx) dx = 0
0

14
The last integral follows since m+n−1 cannot be zero for any positive inte-
gers m, n. Combining the three previous equations gives the orthogonality
conditions
Z 1     (
2n − 1 2m − 1 1/2 m = n 6= 0
cos πx cos πx dx = (21)
0 2 2 0 m 6= n

Multiplying each side of (20) by cos ((2m − 1) πx/2), integrating from x =

0 to 1, and applying the orthogonality condition (21) gives
Z 1  
2m − 1
Am = 2 cos πx f (x) dx
0 2

(b) Substituting f (x) = u0 into (16) and (15) gives

"
#1
1
sin 2n−1 πx
 
2n − 1
Z
2
An = 2u0 cos πx dx = 2u0 2n−1
0 2 2
π
0
  n+1
4u0 2n − 1 4u0 (−1)
= sin π =
(2n − 1) π 2 (2n − 1) π

Thus the series solution is

∞
!
4u0 X (−1)n+1 (2n − 1)2 π 2
 
2n − 1
u (x, t) = cos πx exp − t
π n=1 2n − 1 2 4

After t ≥ 4/π 2 , we may approximate the series by the first term,

 2 
4u0  πx  π
u (x, t) ≈ u1 (x, t) = cos exp − t
π 2 4

The temperature profiles (u vs. x) for different times are given below in
Figures 10 to 13.
(c) Taking the limit t → ∞ of (19) gives

lim u (x, t) = 0
t→∞

Thus the temperature along rod eventually goes to zero. Lastly, we illus-
trate the solution qualitatively by sketching temperature profiles and level
curves (Figures 14 to 17).

15
 u−t plot
1

0.8

0.6
u(x0,t)/u0

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
t

Figure 10: Time temperature profiles u (x0 , t) at x0 = 0.01, 0.4 and 0.9 (from top to
bottom).

u−x plot
1

0.8

0.6
u(x,t0)/u0

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x

Figure 11: Spatial temperature profiles u (x, t0 ) at t = 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 from
top to bottom. The line u(x, t0 )/u0 = 1 is the initial temperature profile at t = 0.

16
 3D plot of u(x,t)

1
0
u(x,t)/u

0.5

0
0

0.5

0.8 1
0.4 0.6
t 1 0 0.2
x

Figure 12:

Level curves u(x,t)=const

1

0.8
0.1

0.6
0.25
t

0.4

0.2 0.5

0.99 0.9
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x

Figure 13: Level curves u (x, t) /u0 = C for various values of the constant C. Numbers
adjacent to curves indicate the value of C.

17
 u−t plot
10

6
u(x0,t)/u0

4
x =0.5
0

2
0.4

0.1
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
t

Figure 14: Time temperature profiles u (x0 , t) at x0 = 0.5, 0.4 and 0.1 (from top to
bottom).

u−x plot
12

10
t=0
8
0
u(x,t )/u
0

4
0.001

2
0.1 0.03
0.5
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x

Figure 15: Spatial temperature profiles u (x, t0 ) at t0 = 0 (dash), 0.001, 0.03, 0.1 and
0.5.

18
 3D plot of u(x,t)

10
u(x,t)/u0

0
0
0.1
0.2 1
0.3
0.4 0.5

t 0.5 0 x

Figure 16:

Level curves u(x,t)=const

0.5

0.4

0.3
0.5 0.25
t

0.2

0.1
1
0.5
0.25 2
0 4
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x

Figure 17: Level curves u (x, t) /u0 = C for various values of the constant C. Numbers
adjacent to curves indicate the value of C. The line segment (1 − w) /2 ≤ x ≤
(1 + w) /2 at t = 0 is the level curve with C = 1/w = 10.

19