- A scientist is studying the growth of two different populations of bacteria.
The number of bacteria, \(N\), in the first population is modelled by the equation
$$N = A \mathrm { e } ^ { k t } \quad t \geqslant 0$$
where \(A\) and \(k\) are positive constants and \(t\) is the time in hours from the start of the study.
Given that
- there were 1000 bacteria in this population at the start of the study
- it took exactly 5 hours from the start of the study for this population to double
- find a complete equation for the model.
- Hence find the rate of increase in the number of bacteria in this population exactly 8 hours from the start of the study. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
The number of bacteria, \(M\), in the second population is modelled by the equation
$$M = 500 \mathrm { e } ^ { 1.4 k t } \quad t \geqslant 0$$
where \(k\) has the value found in part (a) and \(t\) is the time in hours from the start of the study.
Given that \(T\) hours after the start of the study, the number of bacteria in the two different populations was the same,
find the value of \(T\).