198 Chapter 2 The Heat Equation
u( 0 ,t)= 0 , 0 <t,
u(x, 0 )=f(x), 0 <x,
can be expressed as
u(x,t)=√^1
4 πkt
∫∞
0
f(x′)
[
exp
(
−(x′−x)^2
4 kt
)
−exp
(
−(x′+x)^2
4 kt
)]
dx′.
Hint: Start from the problem of this section with initial condition
u(x, 0 )=fo(x), −∞<x<∞,
wherefois the odd extension off.ThenuseEq.(7),andsplittheinterval
of integration at 0.
5.Verify by differentiating that the function
u(x,t)=√^1
4 kπt
exp
[
−x
2
4 kt
]
is a solution of the heat equation
∂^2 u
∂x^2 =
1
k
∂u
∂t,^0 <t, −∞<x<∞.
What can be said aboutuatx=0? att= 0 +?Whatislimt→ 0 +u( 0 ,t)?
Sketchu(x,t)forvariousfixedvaluesoft.
6.Suppose thatf(x)is an odd periodic function with period 2a. Show that
u(x,t)defined by Eq. (7) also has these properties.
7.If f(x)=1 for allx, the solution of our heat conduction problem is
u(x,t)=1. Use this fact together with Eq. (7) to show that
1 =
1
√
4 πkt
∫∞
−∞
exp
[−(x′−x) 2
4 kt
]
dx′.
8.Solve the problem that follows using Eq. (7).
∂^2 u
∂x^2 =
1
k
∂u
∂t, −∞<x<∞,^0 <t,
u(x, 0 )=
{ 1 , x>0,
− 1 , x<0.
9.Can Exercise 8 be solved in the form of Eq. (4)? Note that
2
π
∫∞
0
sin(λx)
λ
dλ=
{ 1 , 0 <x,
− 1 , x<0.